useRefOnce.ts

import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";

/**
 * Only want to un the init code once? useRefOnce to the rescue!
 *
 * @param init the function that produces the inital value
 * @returns
 */
export default function useRefOnce<V>(
  init: () => V
): React.MutableRefObject<V | undefined> {
  const ref = useRef<V | undefined>(undefined);
  useEffect(() => {
    if (!ref.current) {
      ref.current = init();
    }
  },[]);
  return ref;
}