Based on what I see in the world, I suspect one reason is that a <div> makes it easier to apply some bizarro appearance to the button, so it not only doesn’t act like a button, it doesn’t even look like a button.
This comes from either business or the UX people who want stuff to look pixel perfect to their stupid wireframe.
Why does a website that sells to a pretty much captive audience who cares more about functionality than looks obsess so much about every single button looking pixel perfect to some arbitrary wireframe, I will never know.
Well, have you been on, I don't know, TV Tropes? They have those long lists, that are separated into "folders" on a single page. You can click on those "folders" to expand/collapse them, and it's implemented as a <div> with "onclick" property and <ul> inside it (well, used to IIRC; nowadays this <ul> is a child of a sibling <div>).
what's annoying about that example is that all of those <div>s could be buttons with no other changes. The only content inside the button <div> is the title and folder icon, not the list of examples associated with that title. That's just fine for a button!
The other thing I'd do is add `aria-controls=folder0` to the button that toggles visibility of the list with `id=folder0`
wrs|4 months ago
mcny|4 months ago
Why does a website that sells to a pretty much captive audience who cares more about functionality than looks obsess so much about every single button looking pixel perfect to some arbitrary wireframe, I will never know.
Joker_vD|4 months ago
zahlman|4 months ago
... Isn't that what <details> and <summary> are for?
1-more|4 months ago
The other thing I'd do is add `aria-controls=folder0` to the button that toggles visibility of the list with `id=folder0`
cferdinandi|4 months ago
no_wizard|4 months ago
Then I write some basic CSS and show them they have nothing to fear.
Yet, I still remain irritated beyond belief that its such a common thing. In 2025. Hell, in 2017!
I don't know what to do about it, other than constantly remind people about things, but it gets tiring.
Though, its a great interview question. Its a quick way to understand if someone knows the fundamentals or not.
Kinda like how people got ".bind" wrong on functions for years.