instance.md

.instance() => ReactComponent

Gets the instance of the component being rendered as the root node passed into shallow().

NOTE: can only be called on a wrapper instance that is also the root instance. With React 16.x, instance() returns null for stateless React component/stateless functional components. See example:

Returns (React 16.x)

• ReactComponent: The stateful React component instance.
• null: If stateless React component was wrapped.

Returns (React 15.x)

• ReactComponent: The component instance.

Example

Preconditions

function Stateless() {
  return <div>Stateless</div>;
}

class Stateful extends React.Component {
  render() {
    return <div>Stateful</div>;
  }
}

React 16.x

test('shallow wrapper instance should be null', () => {
  const wrapper = shallow(<Stateless />);
  const instance = wrapper.instance();

  expect(instance).not.to.be.instanceOf(Stateless);
});

test('shallow wrapper instance should not be null', () => {
  const wrapper = shallow(<Stateful />);
  const instance = wrapper.instance();

  expect(instance).to.be.instanceOf(Stateful);
});

React 15.x

test('shallow wrapper instance should not be null', () => {
  const wrapper = shallow(<Stateless />);
  const instance = wrapper.instance();

  expect(instance).to.be.instanceOf(Stateless);
});

test('shallow wrapper instance should not be null', () => {
  const wrapper = shallow(<Stateful />);
  const instance = wrapper.instance();

  expect(instance).to.be.instanceOf(Stateful);
});