Hyperlink vs Button

Question

Searching for input about UI design patterns regarding the use of hyperlinks vs buttons.

A screen in a web application should/could have a mix of buttons and hyperlinks on it. It seems that the 'look' is the major governing factor as to which is used, but I want something more logical than that.

Does anyone know of any hard and fast rules about when to use each one?

Do you have guidelines of your own that you'd like to share?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Links go places. Buttons send data places.

In a nutshell, if you have form data, have a button. Otherwise, don't.

Answer 2

Generally, buttons are used to submit forms, I.E. login, purchase order, etc.

Links, on the other hand are most often used to move between pages.

Answer 3

In addition to the send/vs navigate difference that others have said, it is also important to consider that links can be bookmarked.

Answer 4

One set of rules that I follow (not necessarily scientific ones) is:

Buttons:

• When I am on a form (the submit button)
• When I need to make an action stand out in a certain page (like "Add a new person" or "Buy now")

Links:

• All other cases

Answer 5

Hey,

Take a look at existing applications out on the web and see what they use. Links are generally used in social apps like facebook, but that's not a hard and fast rule. Check out what others have done in the same genre of the application you are working on.

Additionally, some frameworks change some of the rules. For instance, ASP.NET links can post to the server, so links have some more weight (though the MVC framework does not have this capability).

HTH

Answer 6

As others have said, but possibly a bit more general:

• Links go places.
• Buttons do things.

(ie more 'do things' is more general than 'send data'. Of course 'going' somewhere is 'doing' something, so I guess buttons do things besides go places.)

Usually. :-)