Comments UX + Notifications Revamp: username mentions pill button styling (to show avatars, reveal interactivity, etc.)

GitHub, GitLab, and social media websites allow @ mentioning people, but when they recognize/validate the user mention they simply represent it as a hyperlink. It could be nice to use a "pill" button styling instead, as:

• It adds an extra human element when you can have a tiny version of the user's avatar/photo shown next to their name
• The display name could be shown on render (instead of the username)
• The button-shaped background/border/etc. communicates a a design "affordance" to the user, letting them know that it is an interactive clickable widget, especially for hover cards for example.

See attached screenshot for an example of how Fractal represents username mentions as pill buttons containing the avatar and display name.

1. Fractal Style Username Mentions Pills Buttons