Editing Button (computing) (section)

==Overview==
A typical button is a rectangle or rounded rectangle, wider than it is tall, with a descriptive caption in its center.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL/button |title=Mozilla button description |access-date=2009-09-18 |archive-date=2012-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402174040/https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL/button |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other buttons may be square or round, with simple [[Icon (computing)|icons]].

The most common method of pressing a button is clicking it with a [[pointer (user interface)|pointer]] controlled by a [[mouse (computing)|mouse]], or a [[touchpad]], but other input such as keystroke can be used to execute the command of a button. However, a button is not always restricted to a rectangular shape.

The sole requirement of button interaction is that the user can execute a command by a [[point-and-click|click]] action. Thus, pictures and background areas can be programmed as buttons. When pressed, in addition to performing a predetermined task, buttons often undergo a graphical change to mimic a mechanical button being depressed.

Depending on the circumstance, buttons may be designated to be pushed only once and execute a command, while others may be used to receive instant feed back and may require the user to click more than once to receive the desired result. Other buttons are designed to toggle behavior on and off like a [[check box]].<ref>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL/button#a-checkState checkState button attribute] in [[Mozilla]]'s [[XUL]]  {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402174040/https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL/button#a-checkState |date=2012-04-02 }}</ref> These buttons will show a graphical clue (such as staying depressed after the mouse is released) to indicate the state of the option. Such a button may be called a latch button or a [[latching switch]].

A button often displays a [[tooltip]] when a user moves the pointer over it, especially if the button's content is a standalone icon. The tooltip serves as built-in documentation that briefly explains the purpose of the button. If you hover your mouse over the blue window button below (without clicking it or moving your mouse), it will display a text saying "Window (computing)."

Some very common incarnations of the button widget are:
* An ''OK button'' for confirming actions and closing the windows
* A ''Cancel button'' for canceling actions and closing the [[window (computing)|window]]
* An ''Apply button'' for confirming actions without closing the window
* A ''Close button'' for closing windows after changes have already been applied