ElementType

Updated: June 30, 2026

The ElementType component is a utility component that dynamically renders as different HTML elements based on the props provided. It can render as a link (<a> or Next.js <Link>), a button, or a div, making it useful for creating interactive elements with consistent styling but different underlying behaviors.

ElementType

// Renders as a Next.js Link for internal navigation
<ElementType href="/about">
  Go to About
</ElementType>

// Renders as an anchor tag for external links
<ElementType href="https://example.com">
  Visit Example
</ElementType>

// Renders as a button when onClick is provided
<ElementType onClick={() => alert('Clicked!')}>
  Click Me
</ElementType>

// Renders as a div when no interactive props are provided
<ElementType className="container">
  Content
</ElementType>

Link behavior

ElementType automatically handles both internal and external links.

Link

// External link - renders as <a> with target="_blank"
<ElementType href="https://github.com/once-ui-systems">
  Visit our GitHub repository
</ElementType>

// Internal link - renders as Next.js <Link>
<ElementType href="/components/button">
  View Button
</ElementType>

Button behavior

ElementType renders as a button when provided with an onClick handler or type prop.

Button

// Renders as a button with onClick handler
<ElementType onClick={() => console.log('Button clicked')}>
  Perform Action
</ElementType>

// Renders as a submit button
<ElementType type="submit">
  Submit Form
</ElementType>

Fallback

When no interactive props are provided, ElementType renders as a Flex component.

Fallback

// Renders as a Flex component
<ElementType>
  <p>This is wrapped in a Flex component</p>
</ElementType>

Behavior

The ElementType component follows these rules to determine which element to render:

If href is provided and the URL is external (starts with http:// or https://), renders as an <a> tag with target="_blank" and rel="noreferrer". If the URL is internal, renders as a Next.js <Link> component
If onClick is provided or type is "submit" or "button", renders as a <button> element
Otherwise, renders as a <Flex> component (which is a div with additional styling)

Usage

The ElementType component is designed to be used internally by other Once UI components to provide consistent behavior while allowing flexibility in the rendered HTML element. For example, it's used by the Button component to enable both link and button behaviors.

API reference

Prop	Type	Default
href	string	—
onClick	() => void	—
onLinkClick	() => void	—
type	buttonsubmitreset	—
children	React.ReactNode	—
className	string	—
style	React.CSSProperties	—
…and every FlexProps prop	inherited	—

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