Accessibility (WCAG) - Building Inclusive Web Applications
When to use this skill
- Implementing ARIA labels, roles, and properties
- Ensuring full keyboard navigation support
- Supporting screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
- Providing text alternatives for images and media
- Managing focus and focus indicators
- Creating accessible forms with proper labels
- Building inclusive, usable UI components
- Testing with axe DevTools or similar tools
- Meeting WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA or AAA compliance
- Designing for color blindness and low vision
- Implementing skip links and landmarks
- Ensuring sufficient color contrast ratios
When to use this skill
- Designing UIs, implementing components, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1/2.2).
- When working on related tasks or features
- During development that requires this expertise
Use when: Designing UIs, implementing components, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1/2.2).
Core Principles (POUR)
- Perceivable - Information available to all senses
- Operable - Interface elements functional for all users
- Understandable - Content and interface are clear
- Robust - Works across technologies including assistive devices
Essential Patterns
Semantic HTML
<!-- ✅ Proper semantic structure -->
<header><nav><ul><li><a></a></li></ul></nav></header>
<main><article><h1></h1><p></p></article></main>
<footer></footer>
<!-- ❌ Div soup -->
<div class="header"><div class="nav"></div></div>
ARIA Labels & Roles
<button aria-label="Close dialog">×</button>
<nav aria-label="Main navigation"></nav>
<input aria-describedby="email-error" />
<div role="alert" aria-live="polite">Success</div>
Keyboard Navigation
function Modal({ onClose }: { onClose: () => void }) {
useEffect(() => {
const handleEscape = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
if (e.key === 'Escape') onClose();
};
document.addEventListener('keydown', handleEscape);
return () => document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleEscape);
}, [onClose]);
return <div role="dialog" aria-modal="true" tabIndex={-1}>...</div>;
}
Focus Management
const firstFocusableElement = dialogRef.current?.querySelectorAll(
'button, [href], input, select, textarea, [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])'
)[0];
firstFocusableElement?.focus();
Resources
