feat: add helper and hook for container ref

example/src/index.tsx

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import {
   DefaultTheme,
   DarkTheme,
   PathConfigMap,
-  NavigationContainerRef,
+  useNavigationContainerRef,
 } from '@react-navigation/native';
 import { createDrawerNavigator } from '@react-navigation/drawer';
 import {
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ export default function App() {
     return () => Dimensions.removeEventListener('change', onDimensionsChange);
   }, []);
 
-  const navigationRef = React.useRef<NavigationContainerRef>(null);
+  const navigationRef = useNavigationContainerRef<RootStackParamList>();
 
   useReduxDevToolsExtension(navigationRef);
 

packages/core/src/BaseNavigationContainer.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   InitialState,
   PartialState,
   NavigationAction,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import EnsureSingleNavigator from './EnsureSingleNavigator';
 import UnhandledActionContext from './UnhandledActionContext';
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ import useSyncState from './useSyncState';
 import checkSerializable from './checkSerializable';
 import checkDuplicateRouteNames from './checkDuplicateRouteNames';
 import findFocusedRoute from './findFocusedRoute';
+import { NOT_INITIALIZED_ERROR } from './createNavigationContainerRef';
 import type {
   NavigationContainerEventMap,
   NavigationContainerRef,
@@ -30,9 +32,6 @@ import type {
 
 type State = NavigationState | PartialState<NavigationState> | undefined;
 
-const NOT_INITIALIZED_ERROR =
-  "The 'navigation' object hasn't been initialized yet. This might happen if you don't have a navigator mounted, or if the navigator hasn't finished mounting. See https://reactnavigation.org/docs/navigating-without-navigation-prop#handling-initialization for more details.";
-
 const serializableWarnings: string[] = [];
 const duplicateNameWarnings: string[] = [];
 
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ const BaseNavigationContainer = React.forwardRef(
       independent,
       children,
     }: NavigationContainerProps,
-    ref?: React.Ref<NavigationContainerRef>
+    ref?: React.Ref<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>
   ) {
     const parent = React.useContext(NavigationStateContext);
 
@@ -202,16 +201,10 @@ const BaseNavigationContainer = React.forwardRef(
     const { addOptionsGetter, getCurrentOptions } = useOptionsGetters({});
 
     React.useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({
-      ...(Object.keys(
-        CommonActions
-      ) as (keyof typeof CommonActions)[]).reduce<any>((acc, name) => {
+      ...Object.keys(CommonActions).reduce<any>((acc, name) => {
         acc[name] = (...args: any[]) =>
-          dispatch(
-            CommonActions[name](
-              // @ts-expect-error: we can't know the type statically
-              ...args
-            )
-          );
+          // @ts-expect-error: this is ok
+          dispatch(CommonActions[name](...args));
         return acc;
       }, {}),
       ...emitter.create('root'),
@@ -223,6 +216,7 @@ const BaseNavigationContainer = React.forwardRef(
       getParent: () => undefined,
       getCurrentRoute,
       getCurrentOptions,
+      isReady: () => listeners.focus[0] != null,
     }));
 
     const onDispatchAction = React.useCallback(

packages/core/src/__tests__/BaseNavigationContainer.test.tsx

@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@ import { act, render } from '@testing-library/react-native';
 import {
   DefaultRouterOptions,
   NavigationState,
+  ParamListBase,
   Router,
   StackRouter,
   TabRouter,
 } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import NavigationStateContext from '../NavigationStateContext';
+import createNavigationContainerRef from '../createNavigationContainerRef';
 import MockRouter, { MockActions } from './__fixtures__/MockRouter';
 import useNavigationBuilder from '../useNavigationBuilder';
 import Screen from '../Screen';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '../types';
 
 it('throws when getState is accessed without a container', () => {
   expect.assertions(1);
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ it('handle dispatching with ref', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ it('handle resetting state with ref', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ it('handles getRootState', () => {
     return descriptors[state.routes[state.index].key].render();
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref}>
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ it('emits state events when the state changes', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref}>
@@ -448,7 +449,7 @@ it('emits state events when new navigator mounts', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const NestedNavigator = () => {
     const [isRendered, setIsRendered] = React.useState(false);
@@ -537,7 +538,7 @@ it('emits option events when options change with tab router', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref}>
@@ -611,7 +612,7 @@ it('emits option events when options change with stack router', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref}>
@@ -677,7 +678,7 @@ it('emits option events when options change with stack router', () => {
 it('throws if there is no navigator rendered', () => {
   expect.assertions(1);
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} children={null} />;
 
@@ -697,7 +698,7 @@ it('throws if there is no navigator rendered', () => {
 it("throws if the ref hasn't finished initializing", () => {
   expect.assertions(1);
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const TestNavigator = (props: any) => {
     const { state, descriptors } = useNavigationBuilder(MockRouter, props);
@@ -733,7 +734,7 @@ it("throws if the ref hasn't finished initializing", () => {
 });
 
 it('invokes the unhandled action listener with the unhandled action', () => {
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
   const fn = jest.fn();
 
   const TestNavigator = (props: any) => {
@@ -779,7 +780,7 @@ it('works with state change events in independent nested container', () => {
     );
   };
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 

packages/core/src/__tests__/index.test.tsx

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { render, act } from '@testing-library/react-native';
-import type { NavigationState } from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import type { NavigationState, ParamListBase } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import Screen from '../Screen';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import useNavigationBuilder from '../useNavigationBuilder';
+import createNavigationContainerRef from '../createNavigationContainerRef';
 import useNavigation from '../useNavigation';
 import MockRouter, { MockRouterKey } from './__fixtures__/MockRouter';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '../types';
 
 beforeEach(() => (MockRouterKey.current = 0));
 
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator', () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = render(
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator', () => {
   expect(element).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[foo-a, undefined]"`);
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       screen: 'bar-b',
       params: { test: 42 },
     })
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator', () => {
   );
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       screen: 'bar-a',
       params: { whoa: 'test' },
     })
@@ -736,15 +736,15 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator', () => {
     `"[bar-a, {\\"lol\\":\\"why\\",\\"whoa\\":\\"test\\"}]"`
   );
 
-  act(() => navigation.current?.navigate('bar', { screen: 'bar-b' }));
+  act(() => navigation.navigate('bar', { screen: 'bar-b' }));
 
-  act(() => navigation.current?.goBack());
+  act(() => navigation.goBack());
 
   expect(element).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
     `"[bar-a, {\\"lol\\":\\"why\\",\\"whoa\\":\\"test\\"}]"`
   );
 
-  act(() => navigation.current?.navigate('bar', { screen: 'bar-b' }));
+  act(() => navigation.navigate('bar', { screen: 'bar-b' }));
 
   expect(element).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
     `"[bar-b, {\\"some\\":\\"stuff\\",\\"test\\":42,\\"whoa\\":\\"test\\"}]"`
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const first = render(
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
   );
 
   expect(first).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[foo-a, undefined]"`);
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 0,
     key: '0',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
   });
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       screen: 'bar-b',
       params: { test: 42 },
     })
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
     `"[bar-b, {\\"some\\":\\"stuff\\",\\"test\\":42}]"`
   );
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 2,
     key: '0',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
   );
 
   expect(second).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[foo-a, undefined]"`);
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 0,
     key: '4',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -971,7 +971,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
   });
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       screen: 'bar-b',
       params: { test: 42 },
       initial: false,
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
 
   expect(second).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[bar-b, {\\"test\\":42}]"`);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 2,
     key: '4',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
 
   expect(third).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[bar-b, {\\"some\\":\\"stuff\\"}]"`);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 1,
     key: '11',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const first = render(
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
 
   expect(first).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[foo-a, undefined]"`);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 0,
     key: '0',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
   });
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       state: {
         routes: [{ name: 'bar-a' }, { name: 'bar-b' }],
       },
@@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
 
   expect(first).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[bar-a, undefined]"`);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 1,
     key: '0',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
   });
 
   act(() =>
-    navigation.current?.navigate('bar', {
+    navigation.navigate('bar', {
       state: {
         index: 2,
         routes: [
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ it('resets state of a nested child in a navigator', () => {
 
   expect(first).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"[bar-a, {\\"test\\":18}]"`);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getRootState()).toEqual({
     index: 1,
     key: '0',
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar'],
@@ -1336,7 +1336,7 @@ it('preserves order of screens in state with non-numeric names', () => {
     return null;
   };
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const root = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1350,11 +1350,7 @@ it('preserves order of screens in state with non-numeric names', () => {
 
   render(root);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState().routeNames).toEqual([
-    'foo',
-    'bar',
-    'baz',
-  ]);
+  expect(navigation.getRootState().routeNames).toEqual(['foo', 'bar', 'baz']);
 });
 
 it('preserves order of screens in state with numeric names', () => {
@@ -1363,7 +1359,7 @@ it('preserves order of screens in state with numeric names', () => {
     return null;
   };
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const root = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1377,11 +1373,7 @@ it('preserves order of screens in state with numeric names', () => {
 
   render(root);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getRootState().routeNames).toEqual([
-    '4',
-    '7',
-    '1',
-  ]);
+  expect(navigation.getRootState().routeNames).toEqual(['4', '7', '1']);
 });
 
 it("throws if navigator doesn't have any screens", () => {
@@ -1801,7 +1793,7 @@ it('returns currently focused route with getCurrentRoute', () => {
 
   const TestScreen = () => null;
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const container = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1824,7 +1816,7 @@ it('returns currently focused route with getCurrentRoute', () => {
 
   render(container).update(container);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentRoute()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentRoute()).toEqual({
     key: 'bar-a',
     name: 'bar-a',
   });
@@ -1839,7 +1831,7 @@ it("returns focused screen's options with getCurrentOptions when focused screen
 
   const TestScreen = () => null;
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const container = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1870,14 +1862,14 @@ it("returns focused screen's options with getCurrentOptions when focused screen
 
   render(container).update(container);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
     sample: 'data',
     sample2: 'data',
   });
 
-  act(() => navigation.current?.navigate('bar-b'));
+  act(() => navigation.navigate('bar-b'));
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
     sample2: 'data',
     sample3: 'data',
   });
@@ -1892,7 +1884,7 @@ it("returns focused screen's options with getCurrentOptions when all screens are
 
   const TestScreen = () => null;
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const container = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1923,14 +1915,14 @@ it("returns focused screen's options with getCurrentOptions when all screens are
 
   render(container).update(container);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
     sample: 'data',
     sample2: 'data',
   });
 
-  act(() => navigation.current?.navigate('bar-b'));
+  act(() => navigation.navigate('bar-b'));
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({
     sample2: 'data',
     sample3: 'data',
   });
@@ -1945,7 +1937,7 @@ it('does not throw if while getting current options with no options defined', ()
 
   const TestScreen = () => null;
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const container = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation}>
@@ -1968,11 +1960,11 @@ it('does not throw if while getting current options with no options defined', ()
 
   render(container).update(container);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({});
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual({});
 });
 
 it('does not throw if while getting current options with empty container', () => {
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const container = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={navigation} children={null} />
@@ -1980,5 +1972,5 @@ it('does not throw if while getting current options with empty container', () =>
 
   render(container).update(container);
 
-  expect(navigation.current?.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual(undefined);
+  expect(navigation.getCurrentOptions()).toEqual(undefined);
 });

packages/core/src/__tests__/useOnAction.test.tsx

@@ -5,15 +5,16 @@ import {
   DefaultRouterOptions,
   NavigationState,
   StackRouter,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import useNavigationBuilder from '../useNavigationBuilder';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import Screen from '../Screen';
+import createNavigationContainerRef from '../createNavigationContainerRef';
 import MockRouter, {
   MockActions,
   MockRouterKey,
 } from './__fixtures__/MockRouter';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '../types';
 
 jest.mock('nanoid/non-secure', () => {
   const m = { nanoid: () => String(++m.__key), __key: 0 };
@@ -571,7 +572,7 @@ it("prevents removing a screen with 'beforeRemove' event", () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -706,7 +707,7 @@ it("prevents removing a child screen with 'beforeRemove' event", () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -867,7 +868,7 @@ it("prevents removing a grand child screen with 'beforeRemove' event", () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -1065,7 +1066,7 @@ it("prevents removing by multiple screens with 'beforeRemove' event", () => {
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} onStateChange={onStateChange}>
@@ -1217,7 +1218,7 @@ it("prevents removing a child screen with 'beforeRemove' event with 'resetRoot'"
 
   const onStateChange = jest.fn();
 
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const element = (
     <BaseNavigationContainer ref={ref} onStateChange={onStateChange}>

packages/core/src/createNavigationContainerRef.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import { CommonActions, ParamListBase } from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import type { NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent } from './types';
+
+export const NOT_INITIALIZED_ERROR =
+  "The 'navigation' object hasn't been initialized yet. This might happen if you don't have a navigator mounted, or if the navigator hasn't finished mounting. See https://reactnavigation.org/docs/navigating-without-navigation-prop#handling-initialization for more details.";
+
+export default function createNavigationContainerRef<
+  ParamList extends ParamListBase
+>(): NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ParamList> {
+  const methods = [
+    ...Object.keys(CommonActions),
+    'addListener',
+    'removeListener',
+    'resetRoot',
+    'dispatch',
+    'canGoBack',
+    'getRootState',
+    'getState',
+    'getParent',
+    'getCurrentRoute',
+    'getCurrentOptions',
+  ] as const;
+
+  const ref: NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ParamList> = {
+    ...methods.reduce<any>((acc, name) => {
+      acc[name] = (...args: any[]) => {
+        if (ref.current == null) {
+          console.error(NOT_INITIALIZED_ERROR);
+        } else {
+          // @ts-expect-error: this is ok
+          return ref.current[name](...args);
+        }
+      };
+      return acc;
+    }, {}),
+    isReady: () => {
+      if (ref.current == null) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      return ref.current.isReady();
+    },
+    current: null,
+  };
+
+  return ref;
+}

packages/core/src/index.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ export * from '@react-navigation/routers';
 export { default as BaseNavigationContainer } from './BaseNavigationContainer';
 export { default as createNavigatorFactory } from './createNavigatorFactory';
 
+export { default as createNavigationContainerRef } from './createNavigationContainerRef';
+export { default as useNavigationContainerRef } from './useNavigationContainerRef';
+
 export { default as NavigationHelpersContext } from './NavigationHelpersContext';
 export { default as NavigationContext } from './NavigationContext';
 export { default as NavigationRouteContext } from './NavigationRouteContext';

packages/core/src/types.tsx

@@ -485,7 +485,9 @@ export type NavigationContainerEventMap = {
   };
 };
 
-export type NavigationContainerRef = NavigationHelpers<ParamListBase> &
+export type NavigationContainerRef<
+  ParamList extends ParamListBase
+> = NavigationHelpers<ParamList> &
   EventConsumer<NavigationContainerEventMap> & {
     /**
      * Reset the navigation state of the root navigator to the provided state.
@@ -505,8 +507,18 @@ export type NavigationContainerRef = NavigationHelpers<ParamListBase> &
      * Get the currently focused route's options.
      */
     getCurrentOptions(): object | undefined;
+    /**
+     * Whether the navigation container is ready to handle actions.
+     */
+    isReady(): boolean;
   };
 
+export type NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<
+  ParamList extends ParamListBase
+> = NavigationContainerRef<ParamList> & {
+  current: NavigationContainerRef<ParamList> | null;
+};
+
 export type TypedNavigator<
   ParamList extends ParamListBase,
   State extends NavigationState,

packages/core/src/useNavigationContainerRef.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import * as React from 'react';
+import type { ParamListBase } from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import createNavigationContainerRef from './createNavigationContainerRef';
+import type { NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent } from './types';
+
+export default function useNavigationContainerRef<
+  ParamList extends ParamListBase
+>(): NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ParamList> {
+  const navigation = React.useRef<NavigationContainerRefWithCurrent<ParamList> | null>(
+    null
+  );
+
+  if (navigation.current == null) {
+    navigation.current = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamList>();
+  }
+
+  return navigation.current;
+}

packages/devtools/src/useReduxDevToolsExtension.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type {
   NavigationContainerRef,
   NavigationState,
   NavigationAction,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/core';
 import deepEqual from 'deep-equal';
 
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ type DevToolsExtension = {
 declare const __REDUX_DEVTOOLS_EXTENSION__: DevToolsExtension | undefined;
 
 export default function useReduxDevToolsExtension(
-  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef>
+  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>
 ) {
   const devToolsRef = React.useRef<DevToolsConnection>();
 

packages/native/src/NavigationContainer.tsx

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   BaseNavigationContainer,
   NavigationContainerProps,
   NavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/core';
 import ThemeProvider from './theming/ThemeProvider';
 import DefaultTheme from './theming/DefaultTheme';
@@ -44,11 +45,13 @@ const NavigationContainer = React.forwardRef(function NavigationContainer(
     onReady,
     ...rest
   }: Props,
-  ref?: React.Ref<NavigationContainerRef | null>
+  ref?: React.Ref<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase> | null>
 ) {
   const isLinkingEnabled = linking ? linking.enabled !== false : false;
 
-  const refContainer = React.useRef<NavigationContainerRef>(null);
+  const refContainer = React.useRef<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>(
+    null
+  );
 
   useBackButton(refContainer);
   useDocumentTitle(refContainer, documentTitle);

packages/native/src/__tests__/NavigationContainer.test.tsx

@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import {
   StackRouter,
   TabRouter,
   NavigationHelpersContext,
-  NavigationContainerRef,
+  createNavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/core';
 import { act, render } from '@testing-library/react-native';
 import NavigationContainer from '../NavigationContainer';
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ it('integrates with the history API', () => {
     },
   };
 
-  const navigation = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const navigation = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   render(
     <NavigationContainer ref={navigation} linking={linking}>

packages/native/src/__tests__/useLinking.test.tsx

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { render, RenderAPI } from '@testing-library/react-native';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '@react-navigation/core';
+import {
+  createNavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
+} from '@react-navigation/core';
 import useLinking from '../useLinking';
 
 it('throws if multiple instances of useLinking are used', () => {
-  const ref = React.createRef<NavigationContainerRef>();
+  const ref = createNavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>();
 
   const options = { prefixes: [] };
 

packages/native/src/useBackButton.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { BackHandler } from 'react-native';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '@react-navigation/core';
+import type {
+  NavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
+} from '@react-navigation/core';
 
 export default function useBackButton(
-  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef>
+  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>
 ) {
   React.useEffect(() => {
     const subscription = BackHandler.addEventListener(

packages/native/src/useDocumentTitle.tsx

@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import type { NavigationContainerRef } from '@react-navigation/core';
+import type {
+  NavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
+} from '@react-navigation/core';
 import type { DocumentTitleOptions } from './types';
 
 /**
  * Set the document title for the active screen
  */
 export default function useDocumentTitle(
-  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef>,
+  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>,
   {
     enabled = true,
     formatter = (options, route) => options?.title ?? route?.name,

packages/native/src/useLinking.native.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   getActionFromState,
   getStateFromPath as getStateFromPathDefault,
   NavigationContainerRef,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/core';
 import extractPathFromURL from './extractPathFromURL';
 import type { LinkingOptions } from './types';
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ type ResultState = ReturnType<typeof getStateFromPathDefault>;
 let isUsingLinking = false;
 
 export default function useLinking(
-  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef>,
+  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>,
   {
     enabled = true,
     prefixes,

packages/native/src/useLinking.tsx

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   NavigationState,
   getActionFromState,
   findFocusedRoute,
+  ParamListBase,
 } from '@react-navigation/core';
 import { nanoid } from 'nanoid/non-secure';
 import ServerContext from './ServerContext';
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ const series = (cb: () => Promise<void>) => {
 let isUsingLinking = false;
 
 export default function useLinking(
-  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef>,
+  ref: React.RefObject<NavigationContainerRef<ParamListBase>>,
   {
     enabled = true,
     config,