Button vs Input Button: Key Differences

<!-- button element with content -->
<button>Click Me</button>

<!-- input button element -->
<input type="button" value="Click Me">

<!-- Button with icon and text -->
<button>
  <svg class="icon" width="16" height="16">...</svg>
  Submit Form
</button>

<!-- Button with image -->
<button>
  <img src="logo.png" alt="Company logo">
  About Us
</button>

<!-- Button with complex styling -->
<button class="styled-button">
  <span class="highlight">Special</span> Offer
</button>

<!-- This will submit the button's HTML content in some browsers -->
<button type="submit">Submit</button>

<!-- This will submit the button's value attribute -->
<button type="submit" value="submit-btn">Submit</button>

<!-- This input button will only submit its value -->
<input type="submit" value="Submit">

As the Stack Overflow discussion highlights, “IE8 in ‘Quirks’ mode…post the button text. Switch to standards mode and you’ll post the value attribute.”

To avoid these issues, it’s recommended to always specify the type attribute explicitly for <button> elements and use the value attribute consistently.

When to Use Each Element

Use <button> When:

1. You need rich content: When your button requires icons, images, or complex HTML markup
2. You’re targeting modern browsers: When supporting only modern browsers (IE10+, all current browsers)
3. You need semantic HTML: When you want the semantic benefits of the <button> element
4. You’re creating custom UI components: When building complex button components with custom behavior

As stated in the research, “the newer <button> element is now the favored way to create buttons” for most modern web applications.

Use <input type="button"> When:

1. Supporting legacy browsers: When you need to support Internet Explorer 9 or earlier
2. Simple text buttons: When you only need a basic text button without complex content
3. Consistency across browsers: When you want identical appearance and behavior across all supported browsers
4. Form-specific actions: When creating buttons that need specific form submission behaviors

One developer’s experience from the research: “I use <input type="button"> only when the point of the control is to cause a [form] postback. In all other cases I use <button>.”

Combining Both Elements: Strategic Use Cases

While it might seem like you should choose one or the other, there are scenarios where using both elements strategically makes sense:

Progressive Enhancement Approach

<!-- Basic input button for all browsers -->
<input type="button" value="Click Here" onclick="basicAction()">

<!-- Enhanced button for browsers that support it -->
<button class="enhanced-button" onclick="enhancedAction()">
  <span class="icon">🎯</span>
  Enhanced Experience
</button>

<script>
// Feature detection for enhanced functionality
if ('HTMLButtonElement' in window) {
  document.querySelector('.enhanced-button').style.display = 'inline-block';
}
</script>

Different Button Types in Forms

<form action="/submit" method="post">
  <!-- Submit button using input for consistency -->
  <input type="submit" value="Submit Form">
  
  <!-- Reset button using button element -->
  <button type="reset">Clear Form</button>
  
  <!-- Custom action button using button element -->
  <button type="button" onclick="saveDraft()">Save Draft</button>
</form>

Style Consistency Requirements

When you need buttons to appear exactly the same across your application but have different behaviors:

<!-- All buttons use input for consistent styling -->
<input type="submit" class="btn btn-primary" value="Submit">
<input type="button" class="btn btn-primary" value="Cancel" onclick="cancelAction()">
<input type="button" class="btn btn-primary" value="Help" onclick="showHelp()">

Best Practices and Recommendations

Modern Development Approach

For contemporary web development, the <button> element is generally preferred due to its flexibility and semantic advantages. However, there are specific guidelines to follow:

1. Always specify the type attribute: Even though <button> defaults to type="submit", explicitly declaring it improves code clarity and prevents unexpected behavior.

2. Use meaningful values: When using <button> in forms, always include a value attribute that clearly identifies the button’s purpose.

3. Test across target browsers: Always test button behavior in all browsers you need to support.

CSS Styling Recommendations

/* Consistent styling for both button types */
.btn {
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 4px;
  cursor: pointer;
  font-size: 16px;
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

/* Specific styling for button elements */
button {
  /* Additional button-specific styles */
}

/* Specific styling for input buttons */
input[type="button"] {
  /* Additional input button-specific styles */
}

Accessibility Considerations

Both elements should include proper ARIA attributes when needed:

<!-- Accessible button with icon -->
<button aria-label="Search" aria-expanded="false">
  <svg class="icon" focusable="false">...</svg>
</button>

<!-- Accessible input button -->
<input type="button" value="Search" aria-label="Search">

Performance Considerations

While performance differences are negligible in most cases, consider that:

• <button> elements may have slightly larger DOM trees when containing complex content
• <input type="button"> elements are simpler and may render marginally faster in very complex interfaces

Conclusion

The choice between <button> and <input type="button"> involves balancing flexibility, compatibility, and specific use case requirements. Modern web development increasingly favors the <button> element for its rich content support and semantic benefits, while <input type="button"> remains valuable for legacy browser support and simple use cases requiring maximum consistency.

Key takeaways:

1. Use <button> for rich content, modern browsers, and semantic HTML when you need flexibility in button content and styling.

2. Use <input type="button">> when supporting legacy browsers, creating simple text buttons, or requiring identical appearance across all supported browsers.

3. Consider combining both elements strategically in progressive enhancement approaches or when different button types serve different purposes within the same interface.

4. Always test button behavior across your target browsers, especially when dealing with form submission and JavaScript interactions.

5. Follow accessibility best practices regardless of which element you choose, ensuring all interactive elements are properly labeled and keyboard accessible.

As web standards continue to evolve and browser compatibility becomes less of a concern, the <button> element will likely become the default choice for most button implementations, with <input type="button">> reserved for specific compatibility scenarios.

Sources

1. Stack Overflow - vs. – which to use?
2. FreeCodeCamp - What is the difference between and
3. HTML.com - Button Type In HTML: Here’s Why You Should Always Declare It
4. GeeksforGeeks - button tag vs input type=“button” attribute
5. Tutorialspoint - What is difference between vs. ?
6. Stack Overflow - vs
7. This vs That - vs
8. Codecademy - Whether to use [button] or [input type=“button”]
9. Reddit - Should I use or inside a form?
10. David Walsh - The Difference Between Anchors, Inputs and Buttons
11. CSS-Tricks - When To Use The Button Element
12. Stack Overflow - What disadvantages are there to the tag?
13. MDN - HTML forms in legacy browsers
14. MDN - Handling common HTML and CSS problems