Behavior comparison

Button vs Link

Decisive difference

Button performs an action in the current page; Link goes to a destination with an href and the browser’s navigation behavior.

ButtonChoose Button if activation changes something here, such as submit, open, or delete.
LinkChoose Link if activation takes the user to another page or route that can open in a new tab.

Decision

Does the control trigger an action, change location, or need to remain icon-only?

Dimension	ButtonButton	LinkLink
Trigger	Click, tap, Enter, or Space on the named control.	Click, tap, or Enter on linked text or its named destination.
Modality	Non-modal action control; any modal result is a separate component.	Navigation, not a modal action; it changes location or opens a resource.
Placement	Within the form, toolbar, or action area where the command applies.	Inline with content or inside a navigation region where the destination is meaningful.
Interactivity	Runs an action and exposes disabled or pending state while duplicate activation is unsafe.	Exposes a URL and standard browser behaviors such as opening or copying the destination.
Focus	A high-contrast focus indicator remains visible in every enabled visual variant and pending state.	Every link has a visible focus indicator and its hit area does not overlap adjacent links.
Dismissal	Not applicable: an action button does not open a surface unless that separate relationship is defined.	Not applicable: navigation is handled by browser history rather than dismissing the link.
Accessible role	button	a[href]
Use case	Submitting or resetting a form	Moving to another page or route
Mobile behavior	Provide a generous touch target and keep primary and destructive actions visually distinct.	Give standalone links enough touch area and spacing while preserving normal inline reading.

Button vs Link

Button performs an action in the current page; Link goes to a destination with an href and the browser’s navigation behavior.

ButtonChoose Button if activation changes something here, such as submit, open, or delete.
LinkChoose Link if activation takes the user to another page or route that can open in a new tab.

Nine dimensions

Dimension	ButtonButton	LinkLink
Trigger	Click, tap, Enter, or Space on the named control.	Click, tap, or Enter on linked text or its named destination.
Modality	Non-modal action control; any modal result is a separate component.	Navigation, not a modal action; it changes location or opens a resource.
Placement	Within the form, toolbar, or action area where the command applies.	Inline with content or inside a navigation region where the destination is meaningful.
Interactivity	Runs an action and exposes disabled or pending state while duplicate activation is unsafe.	Exposes a URL and standard browser behaviors such as opening or copying the destination.
Focus	A high-contrast focus indicator remains visible in every enabled visual variant and pending state.	Every link has a visible focus indicator and its hit area does not overlap adjacent links.
Dismissal	Not applicable: an action button does not open a surface unless that separate relationship is defined.	Not applicable: navigation is handled by browser history rather than dismissing the link.
Accessible role	button	a[href]
Use case	Submitting or resetting a form	Moving to another page or route
Mobile behavior	Provide a generous touch target and keep primary and destructive actions visually distinct.	Give standalone links enough touch area and spacing while preserving normal inline reading.