modify logic according to mui#43022 (comment)

packages/mui-utils/src/getReactNodeRef/getReactNodeRef.spec.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import getReactNodeRef from '@mui/utils/getReactNodeRef';
+import * as React from 'react';
+
+// @ts-expect-error
+getReactNodeRef(false);
+
+// @ts-expect-error
+getReactNodeRef(null);
+
+// @ts-expect-error
+getReactNodeRef(undefined);
+
+// @ts-expect-error
+getReactNodeRef(1);
+
+// @ts-expect-error
+getReactNodeRef([<div key="1" />, <div key="2" />]);
+
+getReactNodeRef(<div />);

packages/mui-utils/src/getReactNodeRef/getReactNodeRef.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { expect } from 'chai';
+import getReactNodeRef from '@mui/utils/getReactNodeRef';
+import * as React from 'react';
+
+describe('getReactNodeRef', () => {
+  it('should throw when not used correctly', () => {
+    expect(() => {
+      // @ts-expect-error
+      getReactNodeRef(false);
+      // @ts-expect-error
+    }).toThrowMinified(/expects a React element/);
+
+    expect(() => {
+      // @ts-expect-error
+      getReactNodeRef();
+      // @ts-expect-error
+    }).toThrowMinified(/expects a React element/);
+
+    expect(() => {
+      // @ts-expect-error
+      getReactNodeRef(1);
+      // @ts-expect-error
+    }).toThrowMinified(/expects a React element/);
+  });
+
+  it('should return the ref of a React element', () => {
+    const ref = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
+    const element = <div ref={ref} />;
+    expect(getReactNodeRef(element)).to.equal(ref);
+  });
+
+  it('should return null for a fragment', () => {
+    const element = (
+      <React.Fragment>
+        <p>Hello</p>
+        <p>Hello</p>
+      </React.Fragment>
+    );
+    expect(getReactNodeRef(element)).to.equal(null);
+  });
+
+  it('should return undefined for an array', () => {
+    const element = [<div key="1" />, <div key="2" />];
+    // @ts-expect-error
+    expect(getReactNodeRef(element)).to.equal(undefined);
+  });
+
+  it('should return null for element with no ref', () => {
+    const element = <div />;
+    expect(getReactNodeRef(element)).to.equal(null);
+  });
+});

packages/mui-utils/src/getReactNodeRef/getReactNodeRef.ts

@@ -1,18 +1,39 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
+import MuiError from '@mui/internal-babel-macros/MuiError.macro';
 
 /**
  * Returns the ref of a React node handling differences between React 19 and older versions.
  * It will return null if the node is not a valid React element.
  *
- * @param element React.ReactNode
+ * @param element React.ReactElement
  * @returns React.Ref<any> | null
  */
-export default function getReactNodeRef(element: React.ReactNode): React.Ref<any> | null {
+export default function getReactNodeRef(
+  element: React.ReactElement,
+): React.Ref<any> | null | undefined {
+  if (typeof element !== 'object') {
+    throw new MuiError('MUI: `getReactNodeRef(element)` expects a React element.');
+  }
+
+  if (Array.isArray(element)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  if (element.type === React.Fragment) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
   // 'ref' is passed as prop in React 19, whereas 'ref' is directly attached to children in older versions
-  return (element as any)?.props?.propertyIsEnumerable('ref')
-    ? (element as any)?.props.ref
+  const ref = element.props?.propertyIsEnumerable('ref')
+    ? (element.props as any).ref
     : // @ts-expect-error element.ref is not included in the ReactElement type
       // We cannot check for it, but isValidElement is true at this point
       // https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/discussions/70189
       element.ref;
+
+  if (!ref) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return ref;
 }