Web accessibility ensures people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with web applications. WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard target. Accessibility benefits everyone, not just users with disabilities.
Semantic HTML: use correct elements (button for actions, a for navigation, heading hierarchy for structure). Semantic HTML provides meaning to assistive technologies. Div and span convey no meaning.
ARIA attributes: when native HTML semantics are insufficient, ARIA attributes provide additional context. aria-label for unlabeled elements, aria-expanded for toggles, aria-live for dynamic content updates.
Keyboard navigation: all interactive elements must be keyboard-accessible. Tab order should follow visual flow. Focus indicators must be visible. Custom components need keyboard event handlers.
Color and contrast: WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Never convey information through color alone. Use patterns, icons, or labels alongside color.
Images and media: meaningful images need descriptive alt text. Decorative images need empty alt attributes. Videos need captions. Audio content needs transcripts.
Forms: associate labels with inputs explicitly (htmlFor/id). Provide clear error messages that identify the field and describe the error. Group related fields with fieldset and legend.
Dynamic content: notify screen readers of content changes using aria-live regions. Loading states, error messages, and content updates need announcements. Focus management after navigation and modal interactions.
Testing methodology: combine automated scanning (axe-core, WAVE) with manual keyboard testing and screen reader testing (NVDA, VoiceOver). Automated tools catch about 30% of issues; manual testing is essential.
React accessibility: use React's built-in support (htmlFor becomes htmlFor, tabIndex works normally). Component libraries like Radix UI and React Aria provide accessible primitives. Test with eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y during development.
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