Behavior comparison

Icon button vs Link

Decisive difference

Icon button performs an action and carries its name in an accessible label; Link navigates to a destination and needs a real href.

Icon buttonChoose Icon button if activation does something in place, such as copy, close, or favorite.
LinkChoose Link if activation goes to another page or route, even when only an icon is shown.

Decision

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

Dimension	Icon buttonIcon button	LinkLink
Trigger	Click, tap, Enter, or Space on the icon control.	Click, tap, or Enter on linked text or its named destination.
Modality	Non-modal action control; its compact appearance does not change button behavior.	Navigation, not a modal action; it changes location or opens a resource.
Placement	In a toolbar or next to the object affected by its single action.	Inline with content or inside a navigation region where the destination is meaningful.
Interactivity	Runs one action and always has an accessible name; a tooltip is only supplemental.	Exposes a URL and standard browser behaviors such as opening or copying the destination.
Focus	The full button target, not only the glyph, receives a visible focus indicator.	Every link has a visible focus indicator and its hit area does not overlap adjacent links.
Dismissal	The button itself does not dismiss; any surface it controls follows that surface's separate contract.	Not applicable: navigation is handled by browser history rather than dismissing the link.
Accessible role	button	a[href]
Use case	A familiar action repeats in a dense toolbar	Moving to another page or route
Mobile behavior	Keep a large invisible or visible touch target and never depend on hover to explain the action.	Give standalone links enough touch area and spacing while preserving normal inline reading.

Icon button vs Link

Icon button performs an action and carries its name in an accessible label; Link navigates to a destination and needs a real href.

Icon buttonChoose Icon button if activation does something in place, such as copy, close, or favorite.
LinkChoose Link if activation goes to another page or route, even when only an icon is shown.

Nine dimensions

Dimension	Icon buttonIcon button	LinkLink
Trigger	Click, tap, Enter, or Space on the icon control.	Click, tap, or Enter on linked text or its named destination.
Modality	Non-modal action control; its compact appearance does not change button behavior.	Navigation, not a modal action; it changes location or opens a resource.
Placement	In a toolbar or next to the object affected by its single action.	Inline with content or inside a navigation region where the destination is meaningful.
Interactivity	Runs one action and always has an accessible name; a tooltip is only supplemental.	Exposes a URL and standard browser behaviors such as opening or copying the destination.
Focus	The full button target, not only the glyph, receives a visible focus indicator.	Every link has a visible focus indicator and its hit area does not overlap adjacent links.
Dismissal	The button itself does not dismiss; any surface it controls follows that surface's separate contract.	Not applicable: navigation is handled by browser history rather than dismissing the link.
Accessible role	button	a[href]
Use case	A familiar action repeats in a dense toolbar	Moving to another page or route
Mobile behavior	Keep a large invisible or visible touch target and never depend on hover to explain the action.	Give standalone links enough touch area and spacing while preserving normal inline reading.