The element “a” must not appear as a descendant of the “button” element.

The HTML specification defines the <button> element’s content model as “phrasing content” but explicitly excludes interactive content. Since the <a> element (when it has an href attribute) is classified as interactive content, nesting it inside a <button> violates this rule. The same restriction applies to any element that has role="button", as it semantically functions as a button.

This is problematic for several reasons:

• Accessibility: Screen readers and assistive technologies cannot reliably convey the purpose of nested interactive elements. A user tabbing through the page may encounter confusing or duplicate focus targets, and the intended action becomes ambiguous.
• Unpredictable behavior: Browsers handle nested interactive elements inconsistently. Clicking the link inside a button might trigger the button’s click handler, the link’s navigation, both, or neither — depending on the browser.
• Standards compliance: The HTML specification forbids this nesting to ensure a clear, unambiguous interaction model for all users and user agents.

To fix this, decide what the element should do. If it navigates to a URL, use an <a> element (styled as a button if needed). If it performs an action like submitting a form or toggling something, use a <button>. If you need both behaviors, handle navigation programmatically via JavaScript on a <button>, or separate them into two distinct elements.

Examples

❌ Incorrect: link nested inside a button

<button>
  <a href="/dashboard">Go to Dashboard</a>
</button>

❌ Incorrect: link inside an element with role="button"

<div role="button">
  <a href="/settings">Settings</a>
</div>

✅ Correct: use an anchor styled as a button

If the goal is navigation, use an <a> element and style it to look like a button with CSS:

<a href="/dashboard" class="button">Go to Dashboard</a>

.button {
  display: inline-block;
  padding: 8px 16px;
  background-color: #007bff;
  color: #fff;
  text-decoration: none;
  border-radius: 4px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

✅ Correct: use a button with JavaScript navigation

If you need button semantics but also want to navigate, handle the navigation in JavaScript:

<button type="button" onclick="location.href='/dashboard'">
  Go to Dashboard
</button>

✅ Correct: separate the two elements

If both a button action and a link are genuinely needed, place them side by side:

<button type="button">Save</button>
<a href="/dashboard">Go to Dashboard</a>

✅ Correct: link without href inside a button (edge case)

An <a> element without an href attribute is not interactive content, so it is technically valid inside a <button>. However, this is rarely useful in practice:

<button type="button">
  <a>Label text</a>
</button>

As a general rule, never nest one clickable element inside another. This applies not only to <a> inside <button>, but also to other combinations like <button> inside <a>, or <a> inside <a>. Keeping interactive elements separate ensures predictable behavior and a good experience for all users.

Learn more:

MDN Reference

MDN - anchor element

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MDN Reference

MDN - button element

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MDN Reference

MDN - ARIA: button role

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