Created by Adam Davarel Nostradatito from Notion
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Accessibility standards ensure that digital content and interfaces can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. When building components like buttons, following accessibility guidelines helps ensure that your UI is inclusive and meets legal requirements, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
Here are some key aspects of accessibility to consider when building components, along with best practices:
¶ 1. Keyboard Accessibility
- Ensure that interactive elements (like buttons, links, and form fields) are navigable and operable via the keyboard.
- The
Tabkey should allow users to navigate through focusable elements, and theEnterorSpacekeys should trigger actions on buttons and links.
Best Practice:
Make sure buttons are focusable (<button> elements are natively focusable).
Use the tabindex attribute to control focus order if necessary (but avoid overusing it).
<a href="<https://www.w3schools.com/>" tabindex="2">W3Schools</a>
<a href="<http://www.google.com/>" tabindex="1">Google</a>
<a href="<http://www.microsoft.com/>" tabindex="3">Microsoft</a>
¶ 2. ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Attributes
- ARIA attributes provide additional semantic information to screen readers and assistive technologies, making complex UI components more accessible.
- Use
aria-labeloraria-labelledbyto provide clear descriptions for elements like buttons, links, and input fields. - Use
roleattributes to define the role of non-semantic elements likedivorspanwhen they're used for interactive components.
Best Practice:
<button aria-label="Submit form" disabled={isDisabled}>
{isLoading ? 'Loading...' : 'Submit'}
</button>
aria-disabled: If a button is disabled, use aria-disabled="true" to communicate this to assistive technologies:
<button aria-disabled={isDisabled} disabled={isDisabled}>
Submit
</button>
¶ 3. Color Contrast
Ensure that text and interactive elements have sufficient color contrast. The minimum contrast ratio is:
- 4.5:1 for normal text.
- 3:1 for large text (18pt or 14pt bold).
Use tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure your color choices meet WCAG guidelines.
Best Practice:
- Avoid low-contrast colors like light gray text on a white background.
- Ensure text on buttons and links stands out from the background.
.button {
color: #ffffff; /* Text color */
background-color: #007BFF; /* Background color */
}
¶ 4. Text Alternatives
- Provide alternative text for non-text content, such as images or icons inside buttons.
- For example, if you have an icon inside a button, make sure the button still has a text label or uses an
aria-labelto describe its purpose.
Best Practice:
<button aria-label="Save document">
<SaveIcon />
</button>
¶ 5. Focus Management
- Ensure that all interactive elements (buttons, links, inputs) have a visible focus state. This helps users who navigate by keyboard or assistive technologies know which element is currently selected.
- Avoid removing the focus outline unless you provide a clear custom focus state.
Best Practice:
- Use Tailwind's focus utility to define a clear focus state:
<button className="focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500">Click me</button>
¶ 6. Form Labels and Instructions
- Always associate labels with input elements using
<label for="id">or by wrapping inputs in a<label>element. - Use
aria-describedbyto provide users with additional context about inputs (e.g., instructions, error messages).
Best Practice:
<label htmlFor="email">Email Address</label>
<input id="email" type="email" aria-describedby="emailHelp" /><small id="emailHelp">We'll never share your email with anyone else.</small>
¶ 7. Accessible Forms
- Forms should have proper labels, and error messages should be provided with accessible feedback mechanisms, such as using
aria-liveregions for real-time error alerts. - Ensure validation feedback is announced to screen readers.
Best Practice:
<form>
<label htmlFor="username">Username</label><input id="username" type="text" aria-invalid={hasError} aria-describedby="usernameError" />
{hasError && <span id="usernameError" role="alert">This field is required</span>}
</form>
¶ 8. Responsive Design for Accessibility
- Ensure that your components are responsive and usable on all devices. Components should adjust for different screen sizes and orientations without sacrificing accessibility.
- For touch devices, make sure that interactive elements like buttons are large enough (at least 44x44px) to be easily tapped.
Best Practice:
- Use Tailwind or media queries to make sure components adapt to various screen sizes while remaining accessible.
button {
min-width: 44px;
min-height: 44px;
}
¶ 9. Semantic HTML
- Use semantic HTML elements whenever possible (e.g.,
<button>,<a>,<section>,<nav>,<header>,<footer>). This helps assistive technologies understand the structure and functionality of your content. - Avoid using
divorspanfor interactive elements unless you absolutely need custom styling and behavior, and in that case, use proper ARIA attributes.
Best Practice:
<button>Submit</button> <!-- Correct, semantic -->
<div role="button" tabindex="0" aria-pressed="false">Submit</div> <!-- Only if necessary --
- ARIA Live Regions
- Use
aria-liveto communicate changes in content that are important for users (e.g., form validation errors, success messages) so that screen readers can announce the updates automatically.
Best Practice:
<div aria-live="polite">
{isFormSubmitted && <p>Form submitted successfully!</p>}
</div>
¶ Conclusion
Accessibility ensures your components are usable by all users, including those with disabilities. Follow these best practices to make sure your UI is WCAG-compliant, keyboard-friendly, screen reader-accessible, and generally inclusive. By adhering to accessibility standards, you improve the user experience, meet legal requirements, and create more robust and versatile applications.