This is a much better rule of thumb IMO. I actually have been a proponent of replacing a bunch of buttons with links at a previous workplace, using the middle

This is a much better rule of thumb IMO. I actually have been a proponent of replacing a bunch of buttons with links at a previous workplace, using the middle click as an argument in favor. Sibling comments seem to misunderstand a frontend development a little. I’ve replaced quite a few dialog modals with pages (in a single page app), and it is usually because a backend developer (or a well meaning intern) thought they could implement the feature on their own (or more likely a project manager told them to), and simply didn’t known about the usability issues with this. Most front end developers I know deal with the same stuff in their workplace.