pattern-library checked

VA.gov Design System Button

Documents button usage, discourages disabled fields except in rare cases, and allows disabled action buttons for post-action in-between processing states.

Open source

Pattern Decisions This Source Supports

Pattern Supported decision Required contract Claim note
Disabled button with no explanation Flag this anti-pattern when an unavailable action has no visible requirement, cause, owner, or next step near the control. Users can discover why the action is unavailable without hovering a disabled control or guessing from color alone. VA.gov button guidance strongly discourages disabled controls except in narrow processing contexts and emphasizes correct button/link use.
Disabled controls without recovery Flag this anti-pattern when a disabled control blocks a task and the surrounding UI does not provide a reachable next step. Users can discover the cause of unavailability without activating or hovering the disabled control itself. VA.gov button guidance discourages disabled form controls except in narrow in-between states.

Evidence Role

This source is treated as pattern-library evidence. Use it to validate the decision rules above, not as a visual style reference.

Publisher: VA.gov Design System. Last checked: .