CSS - same class looks different on other element - html

Question

I created a button class named "primary". I noticed that it looks different on a button and on a tag, they have other sizes for example.
.primary {
border-radius: 0;
color: white;
background: #EC7404;
padding: 9px 29px;
font-size: 1.5rem;
vertical-align: middle;
border: none;
}
<button class="primary">This is a test</button>
<a class="primary">This is a test</a>
How can I make the class look the same on both?
JSFIDDLE

Answer 1

With HTML tags, browsers add their own default styles to the tags (yes, it could differ from browser to browser). In your case, there are 2 properties you need to add in the .primary class: 'display: inline-block and font` properties.
As per the JSFiddle you shared. Here is the updated code and screenshot of the both elements height after the primary class code is updated:
.primary{
border-radius: 0;
color: white;
background: #EC7404;
padding: 9px 29px;
/*font-size: 1.5rem;*/
vertical-align: middle;
border: none;
/* these 2 lines to be added */
display: inline-block;
font: 400 1.5rem Arial;
}

Answer 2

.primary {
border-radius: 0;
color: white;
background: #EC7404;
padding: 9px 29px;
font-family: "Goudy Bookletter 1911", sans-serif;
font-size: 1.5rem;
vertical-align: middle;
border: none;
}
<button class="primary">This is a test</button>
<a class="primary">This is a test</a>

Answer 3

This is because a browser already gives HTML elements their own style. You will overwrite this style with your own CSS. But a button will have a different style than an a element by default.
For example the line-height and font-family may be different.
And in your case it seems that display: inline-block will do the trick.

Answer 4

This is because elements inherit default styles, if you want the anchor to look the same simply declare the font family and font-size in your class;
.primary {
border-radius: 0;
color: white;
background: #EC7404;
padding: 9px 29px;
font-size: 1.5rem;
vertical-align: middle;
border: none;
font-family: sans-serif;
font-size: 26px;
}