ianstormtaylor/slate · error · Error

The ref prop of a token cannot be used with the path prop.

Error message

The ref prop of a token cannot be used with the path prop.

What it means

In slate-hyperscript token tags (<text>, <inline>, <block>, etc.), a ref prop and a path prop are mutually exclusive. The ref mechanism works by having the token record the path where it ends up in the editor tree at render time, while path explicitly hardcodes the location. Passing both is contradictory, so the token constructor throws immediately.

Source

Thrown at packages/slate-hyperscript/src/tokens.ts:44

export class Token<Ref = unknown> {
  offset?: number
  path?: Path
  ref?: Ref

  constructor(
    props: {
      offset?: number
      path?: Path
      ref?: Ref
    } = {}
  ) {
    const { offset, path, ref } = props
    this.offset = offset
    this.path = path

    if (ref) {
      if (path != null) {
        throw new Error(
          'The ref prop of a token cannot be used with the path prop.'
        )
      }
      this.ref = ref
    }
  }
}

/**
 * Anchor tokens represent the selection's anchor point.
 */

export class AnchorToken extends Token<HyperscriptRangeRef> {}

/**
 * Focus tokens represent the selection's focus point.
 */

View on GitHub (pinned to 72a37c701e)

Solutions

1. Remove the path prop and let the ref capture the path from the editor tree
2. Or remove the ref prop and keep using the explicit path if you don't need a ref object

Example fix

// before
<editor>
  <text path={[0]} ref={t}>hello</text>
</editor>

// after
<editor>
  <text ref={t}>hello</text>
</editor>

if (props.ref != null && props.path != null) {
  throw new Error('ref and path are mutually exclusive on tokens')
}
// before rendering the token

const hasConflictingProps = (p) =>
  p.ref != null && p.path != null

When it happens

Trigger: Writing <text path={[0,0]} ref={t}>hi</text>; passing a props object containing both path and ref to any token tag created by createHyperscript.

Common situations: Migrating old tests that used explicit path props and adding refs without removing path; copy-pasting token markup and forgetting to delete the path prop.

Related errors

• A HyperscriptPointRef must be passed as the ref prop of a <p
• A HyperscriptRangeRef must be passed as the ref prop of an <
• A HyperscriptRangeRef must be passed as the ref prop of a <f

AI-assisted analysis of ianstormtaylor/slate@72a37c701e (2026-08-27). Data as JSON: /api/errors/65cd60bfe6c24782. Report an issue: GitHub.