Considering adding button links add from toolbar

[karmatosed]

We should consider unifying the adding of links to things like buttons with the new link interface.

Why don't we just have the link added from the toolbar?

[mtias]

We went this way because 1) the link applies to the whole block, it's not an inline link and 2) it's often the primary functionality of the Button block, not a secondary/formatting action.

[karmatosed]

I think in this case there is an argument to unify. With cover image having the same link interface, having another that does add a link is to me a good reason to consider.

[ZebulanStanphill]

@karmatosed It should be noted that if the Cover Image block is changed to use nested blocks (like what is being done for quotes in #6054), the UI for adding links will likely change as it would probably just be using a nested Heading block by default.

EDIT: I just realized there was a pull request for changing the Cover Image block to use nested blocks: #5452.

[jasmussen]

The general intent behind this ticket seems right — let's simplify the ways a user can insert links, so they don't have to learn how to do it three ways:

• select text, make into a link
• click link button in block toolbar on image block to make entire image into a link
• paste link below button

Select text to make into a link obviously has to stay.

In the case of both the Button block, and the Image block, these are sort of "atomic units" — there is no nested content in either of those, and there likely never will be. When made into links, they are both links at the block level, i.e. the entire thing is clickable.

Perhaps we unify those two? Perhaps we ditch the inline link style for the Button block, and add a block-level linking button to the block toolbar instead?

On the other hand, it's common enough to not link an image, whereas a button is almost useless without a link, so it's good to pop it out inline, to make it super obvious.

[karmatosed]

I think it's probably best to make a new issue (I'll do just that later) and work out a way to progress and unify. I'll loop back here once have, I feel this should pan out to all and we need to access how all links work then come up with a plan.

[karmatosed]

Closing in favour of #6392