Button vs Input Type Button: Which to Use?

The <button> element is generally preferred over <input type="button"> because it supports rich content, offers better accessibility, and provides more styling flexibility, though <input> may still be useful for specific legacy support scenarios or when you need a simple, self-contained button without nested elements.

Contents

• Key Differences Between Button Elements
• When to Use <button> vs <input type="button">
• Accessibility and Browser Compatibility Considerations
• Performance and SEO Implications
• Practical Usage Examples
• Best Practices and Recommendations

Key Differences Between Button Elements

The fundamental distinction between <button> and <input type="button"> lies in their content model and capabilities:

Content Flexibility: The <button> element can contain HTML content including text, images, and other elements, while <input type="button"> is a void element that cannot contain any child content. This means with <button>, you can create rich, styled buttons with icons, multiple text lines, or complex layouts.

Semantic Structure: <button> is a container element with opening and closing tags, making it more semantically expressive. As GeeksforGeeks explains, “The buttons created with the <button> tag offer many contributing possibilities than <input type="button"> attribute.”

Form Behavior: Both elements behave differently in forms. The <button> element has a type attribute that can be submit, reset, or button, while <input type="button"> specifically creates a button that doesn’t submit a form by default.

Styling Capabilities: <button> elements generally have more consistent styling across browsers and can be styled more effectively with CSS, especially when containing complex content.

When to Use <button> vs <input type="button">

Prefer <button> When:

• You need rich content in your button (icons, multiple lines, complex styling)
• You want better accessibility and semantic HTML structure
• You need consistent cross-browser styling
• You’re building modern web applications with minimal legacy constraints
• You want better SEO and semantic markup benefits

Use <input type="button"> When:

• You need simple buttons with just text content
• You require Internet Explorer 10 or earlier support
• You need a self-contained, minimal button without nested elements
• You’re working with legacy codebases that already use this pattern
• You need maximum browser compatibility without polyfills

According to Stack Overflow, “While <input> elements of type button are still perfectly valid HTML, the newer <button> element is now the favored way to create buttons.”

Accessibility and Browser Compatibility Considerations

Accessibility Benefits of <button>

The <button> element provides significant accessibility advantages:

Screen Reader Support: Screen readers handle <button> elements more predictably, announcing them as buttons with their content. As the BrowserStack accessibility guide states, semantic HTML improves accessibility by providing context to assistive technologies.

Keyboard Navigation: Both elements support keyboard navigation, but <button> often provides more consistent focus management and visual feedback.

ARIA Compatibility: <button> works well with ARIA attributes for enhanced accessibility when needed.

Browser Compatibility

Modern Browsers: All modern browsers support <button> elements consistently.

Legacy Browsers: The main compatibility concern is Internet Explorer 10 and earlier. As noted in the Stack Overflow discussion, “So basically, the only reason you’d use <input> for buttons now is for supporting IE<11.”

Mobile Browsers: <button> elements generally perform well on mobile devices and touch interfaces.

Performance and SEO Implications

SEO Benefits

Semantic HTML: Using <button> contributes to better semantic HTML, which search engines favor. As MDN documentation explains, “Good for SEO — search engines give more importance to keywords inside headings, links, etc.”

Content Accessibility: Rich content in <button> elements can be indexed by search engines, potentially providing SEO benefits.

Performance Considerations

Rendering: There’s minimal performance difference between the two elements in modern browsers.

File Size: <input type="button"> might be slightly smaller in markup size, but the difference is negligible for most applications.

JavaScript Interaction: Both elements can be targeted and manipulated with JavaScript in similar ways, though <button> might offer more event handling options for complex content.

Practical Usage Examples

Basic Button Creation

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

<!-- Equivalent button element -->
<button>Click Me</button>

Rich Content Buttons

<!-- Button with icon and styling -->
<button class="action-btn">
    <svg class="icon" width="16" height="16"></svg>
    <span>Save Changes</span>
</button>

<!-- Complex styled button -->
<button class="primary-btn">
    <span class="btn-icon">💾</span>
    <span class="btn-text">Save Progress</span>
    <span class="btn-hint">Ctrl+S</span>
</button>

Form Submission Differences

<!-- Form with input submit button -->
<form action="/submit">
    <input type="text" name="data">
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

<!-- Form with button submit element -->
<form action="/submit">
    <input type="text" name="data">
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

Best Practices and Recommendations

Current Best Practices

1. Prefer <button> for new development - It offers more flexibility and better accessibility
2. Use <input type="button"> only when necessary - Primarily for legacy browser support
3. Always specify the type attribute - For <button> elements, explicitly set type="button" unless you want form submission
4. Consider your audience - If you must support very old browsers, <input> might be safer

When to Combine Both Elements

There are scenarios where using both elements makes sense:

Progressive Enhancement: Use <button> with fallback <input> for very old browsers
Different Use Cases: Use <input> for simple, standardized form buttons and <button> for complex interactive elements
Styling Consistency: Sometimes mixing both can help maintain visual consistency across different button types

Future-Proofing Your Code

As the Formspree blog notes, “These differences make <button> more adaptable for complex interactive elements and <input> better suited for basic form buttons.”

For most modern web development, <button> is the recommended choice due to its flexibility, accessibility benefits, and better semantic structure. Only use `> when you have specific compatibility requirements or need a simple, self-contained button.

Conclusion

1. <button> is generally superior for modern web development due to its content flexibility, accessibility benefits, and better semantic structure
2. Use <input type="button">> only for legacy browser support (IE10 and earlier) or when you need simple, self-contained buttons
3. Compatibility concerns are minimal - <button> works well in all modern browsers and is the standard for contemporary web development
4. Accessibility is better with <button> - It provides richer semantic meaning and better screen reader support
5. Consider your specific requirements - For complex buttons with rich content, <button> is clearly superior; for simple cases, either works but <button> is still recommended for future-proofing

The trend is clearly moving toward <button> as the standard choice, and most modern frameworks and style guides now recommend it over `> for most use cases.

Sources

1. Stack Overflow - Button vs Input Type Button: Which to Use?
2. Tutorialspoint - Difference Between Button vs Input Type Button
3. GeeksforGeeks - Button Tag vs Input Type Button Attribute
4. Formspree - The HTML Button: Usability and Alternatives
5. MDN - HTML: A Good Basis for Accessibility
6. BrowserStack - Accessibility and SEO: Improving Web Visibility and Usability
7. Accessibly - Button Accessibility: Creating Accessible Buttons
8. W3Schools - Accessibility Buttons and Links