diff --git a/.changeset/lazy-houses-tell.md b/.changeset/lazy-houses-tell.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b37eb3fdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lazy-houses-tell.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"myst-ext-button": patch
+"myst-spec-ext": patch
+"myst-cli": patch
+---
+
+Add new button role
diff --git a/docs/directives.mjs b/docs/directives.mjs
index 4f28ca3d7..d2007009a 100644
--- a/docs/directives.mjs
+++ b/docs/directives.mjs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { mystParse } from 'myst-parser';
 import { defaultDirectives } from 'myst-directives';
 import { defaultRoles } from 'myst-roles';
 import { cardDirective } from 'myst-ext-card';
+import { buttonRole } from 'myst-ext-button';
 import { gridDirectives } from 'myst-ext-grid';
 import { proofDirective } from 'myst-ext-proof';
 import { exerciseDirectives } from 'myst-ext-exercise';
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ const allDirectives = [
   cardDirective,
   proofDirective,
 ];
-const allRoles = [...defaultRoles];
+const allRoles = [...defaultRoles, buttonRole];
 
 /**
  * @param {import('myst-common').OptionDefinition} option
diff --git a/docs/dropdowns-cards-and-tabs.md b/docs/dropdowns-cards-and-tabs.md
index 224cfbe68..5fb0b5adc 100644
--- a/docs/dropdowns-cards-and-tabs.md
+++ b/docs/dropdowns-cards-and-tabs.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ You can also hide the body of your admonition blocks so that users must click a
 To turn an admonition into a dropdown, add the option `:class: dropdown` to them. See [](#admonition-dropdown) for more information.
 ```
 
-### Cards
+## Cards
 
 Cards provide an easy way for you to content into a standard “header”, “body”, “footer” structure that has a similar alignment and visual style. It is useful for creating galleries or high-visibility collections of links and information.
 For example, a card with a header, title, body, and footer:
@@ -76,25 +76,24 @@ Footer
 
 Note that, card headers and footers are optional. If you don’t include ^^^ or +++ in your card, they will not show up.
 ````
+:::{myst:directive} card
+:::
 
-### `card` reference
-
-**Arguments** _(optional, markdown)_
-: The `card` can take a single argument that is the title as a string.
-
-**Options**
-: No options for the `card` are required
+## Buttons
 
-    header _(optional, markdown)_
-    : Styled content at the top of the card
+A button is an element with text content that triggers an action to navigate to an internal or external reference upon a user click. Use the {myst:role}`button` role followed by the text content and target path to create a button.
 
-    footer _(optional, markdown)_
-    : Styled content at the bottom of the card
+```{myst}
+{button}`MyST Role Spec <roles.md>`
+```
 
-    link _(optional, string)_
-    : If given, clicking the card will direct you to the URL given here.
+```{myst}
+{button}`MyST-MD GitHub <https://github.com/jupyter-book/mystmd>`
+```
+:::{myst:role} button
+:::
 
-### Grids
+## Grids
 
 Grids allow you to structure arbitrary chunks of content in a grid-like system.
 
@@ -124,6 +123,9 @@ Execute notebook cells, store results, and insert outputs across pages.
 ::::
 ```
 
+:::{myst:directive} grid
+:::
+
 ## Tabs
 
 You can also produce tabbed content. This allows you to display a variety of tabbed content blocks that users can click on.
@@ -154,23 +156,8 @@ Synced content for tab 2
 ```
 ````
 
-### `tab-item` reference
-
-**Arguments** _(required: `1`, string)_
-: The `tab-item` requires a single argument that is the title as a string.
-
-    ```{warning}
-    :class: dropdown
-    # Note: the `tab-item` title is not currently not parsed
-
-    The current implementation does not parse the tab title properly, and markup in this field will not be parsed.
-    ```
-
-**Options**
-: No options for the `tab-item` are required
-
-    sync _(optional, string)_
-    : A key that is used to sync the selected tab across multiple tab-sets.
+:::{myst:directive} tab-set
+:::
 
-    selected _(flag, no-value)_
-    : a flag indicating whether the tab should be selected by default.
+:::{myst:directive} tab-item
+:::
diff --git a/docs/roles.md b/docs/roles.md
index 56dbac85d..28990e3f7 100644
--- a/docs/roles.md
+++ b/docs/roles.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ description: A full list of the roles included in MyST Markdown by default.
 :::{myst:role} abbreviation
 :::
 
+:::{myst:role} button
+:::
+
 :::{myst:role} chemicalFormula
 :::
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 40bbd6411..e7c3028bf 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -10032,6 +10032,10 @@
       "resolved": "packages/myst-execute",
       "link": true
     },
+    "node_modules/myst-ext-button": {
+      "resolved": "packages/myst-ext-button",
+      "link": true
+    },
     "node_modules/myst-ext-card": {
       "resolved": "packages/myst-ext-card",
       "link": true
@@ -15482,6 +15486,7 @@
         "myst-common": "^1.7.6",
         "myst-config": "^1.7.6",
         "myst-execute": "^0.1.2",
+        "myst-ext-button": "^0.0.0",
         "myst-ext-card": "^1.0.9",
         "myst-ext-exercise": "^1.0.9",
         "myst-ext-grid": "^1.0.9",
@@ -15776,6 +15781,17 @@
         "node": "^16.13.0 || >=18.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "packages/myst-ext-button": {
+      "version": "0.0.0",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "myst-common": "^1.7.2",
+        "myst-spec-ext": "^1.7.6"
+      },
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "myst-parser": "^1.5.7"
+      }
+    },
     "packages/myst-ext-card": {
       "version": "1.0.9",
       "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/packages/myst-cli/package.json b/packages/myst-cli/package.json
index d9e8133b5..29e78d42d 100644
--- a/packages/myst-cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/myst-cli/package.json
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
     "myst-common": "^1.7.6",
     "myst-config": "^1.7.6",
     "myst-execute": "^0.1.2",
+    "myst-ext-button": "^0.0.0",
     "myst-ext-card": "^1.0.9",
     "myst-ext-exercise": "^1.0.9",
     "myst-ext-grid": "^1.0.9",
diff --git a/packages/myst-cli/src/process/myst.ts b/packages/myst-cli/src/process/myst.ts
index 175139819..389b65e2a 100644
--- a/packages/myst-cli/src/process/myst.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-cli/src/process/myst.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { mystParse } from 'myst-parser';
+import { buttonRole } from 'myst-ext-button';
 import { cardDirective } from 'myst-ext-card';
 import { gridDirectives } from 'myst-ext-grid';
 import { proofDirective } from 'myst-ext-proof';
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ export function parseMyst(
     extensions: {
       frontmatter: !opts?.ignoreFrontmatter,
     },
-    roles: [...(session.plugins?.roles ?? [])],
+    roles: [buttonRole, ...(session.plugins?.roles ?? [])],
     vfile,
   });
   logMessagesFromVFile(session, vfile);
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/.eslintrc.cjs b/packages/myst-ext-button/.eslintrc.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76787609a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/.eslintrc.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+module.exports = {
+  root: true,
+  extends: ['curvenote'],
+};
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/README.md b/packages/myst-ext-button/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bdf031fd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# myst-ext-button
+
+`mystmd` extension for `button` role
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/package.json b/packages/myst-ext-button/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24770f392
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+{
+  "name": "myst-ext-button",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "sideEffects": false,
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "description": "MyST extension for button role",
+  "author": "Jenny Wong <jwong@2i2c.org>",
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/jupyter-book/mystmd/tree/main/packages/myst-ext-button",
+  "type": "module",
+  "exports": "./dist/index.js",
+  "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
+  "files": [
+    "dist"
+  ],
+  "publishConfig": {
+    "access": "public"
+  },
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/jupyter-book/mystmd.git"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "clean": "rimraf dist",
+    "lint": "eslint \"src/**/!(*.spec).ts\" -c ./.eslintrc.cjs",
+    "lint:format": "npx prettier --check \"src/**/*.ts\"",
+    "test": "vitest run",
+    "test:watch": "vitest watch",
+    "build:esm": "tsc",
+    "build": "npm-run-all -l clean -p build:esm"
+  },
+  "bugs": {
+    "url": "https://github.com/jupyter-book/mystmd/issues"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "myst-common": "^1.7.2",
+    "myst-spec-ext": "^1.7.6"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "myst-parser": "^1.5.7"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/src/index.ts b/packages/myst-ext-button/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..830878c13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import type { RoleSpec, RoleData, GenericNode } from 'myst-common';
+import type { Link } from 'myst-spec-ext';
+
+const REF_PATTERN = /^(.+?)<([^<>]+)>$/;
+
+export const buttonRole: RoleSpec = {
+  name: 'button',
+  doc: 'Button element with an action to navigate to internal or external links.',
+  body: {
+    type: String,
+    doc: 'The body of the button.',
+    required: true,
+  },
+  run(data: RoleData): GenericNode[] {
+    const body = data.body as string;
+    const match = REF_PATTERN.exec(body);
+    const [, modified, rawLabel] = match ?? [];
+    const url = rawLabel ?? body;
+    const node: Link = {
+      type: 'link',
+      url,
+      children: [],
+      class: 'button', // TODO: allow users to extend this
+    };
+    if (modified) node.children = [{ type: 'text', value: modified.trim() }];
+    return [node];
+  },
+};
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/tests/button.spec.ts b/packages/myst-ext-button/tests/button.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dceb74e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/tests/button.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { buttonRole } from '../src';
+import { VFile } from 'vfile';
+
+describe('Button component', () => {
+  it('should process button role correctly', () => {
+    const result = buttonRole.run(
+      { name: 'button', body: 'Click me<http://example.com>' },
+      new VFile(),
+    );
+
+    expect(result).toEqual([
+      {
+        type: 'link',
+        class: 'button',
+        url: 'http://example.com',
+        children: [{ type: 'text', value: 'Click me' }],
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('should process button role without label correctly', () => {
+    const result = buttonRole.run({ name: 'button', body: 'http://example.com' }, new VFile());
+    expect(result).toEqual([
+      {
+        type: 'link',
+        class: 'button',
+        url: 'http://example.com',
+        children: [],
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/myst-ext-button/tsconfig.json b/packages/myst-ext-button/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c5c0f1c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/myst-ext-button/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "extends": "../tsconfig/base.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "outDir": "dist"
+  },
+  "include": ["."],
+  "exclude": ["dist", "build", "node_modules", "src/**/*.spec.ts", "tests"]
+}
diff --git a/packages/myst-spec-ext/src/types.ts b/packages/myst-spec-ext/src/types.ts
index b808b82be..0a2d793b9 100644
--- a/packages/myst-spec-ext/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/myst-spec-ext/src/types.ts
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ export type CrossReference = SpecCrossReference & {
   dataUrl?: string;
   remoteBaseUrl?: string;
   html_id?: string;
+  class?: Image['class'];
 };
 
 export type Link = SpecLink & {
@@ -284,6 +285,7 @@ export type Link = SpecLink & {
   static?: true;
   protocol?: string;
   error?: true;
+  class?: Image['class'];
 };
 
 // Search types