Web Accessibility (a11y) Guide: Make your website usable for everyone
Web accessibility (a11y) ensures all users, regardless of visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive abilities, can access and use your website.
10 Key Accessibility Practices
- Add alt text to images
- Use semantic HTML (
<nav>,<main>,<article>) - Ensure color contrast ≥ 4.5:1 for normal text
- Support keyboard navigation with visible focus states
- Label form elements properly
- Manage focus order (logical tab order)
- Add skip navigation links
- Use ARIA attributes when needed
- Use relative units (rem/em) for text
- Provide clear error messages
Testing Tools
| Tool | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| axe DevTools | Extension | Auto-scan issues |
| Lighthouse | Built-in | Audit report |
| WAVE | Extension | Visual issue display |
| NVDA/JAWS | Screen reader | Simulate visual impairment |
16IDC Takeaway
Accessibility isn't optional — it's a quality metric. Building with accessibility from the start is far more efficient than retrofitting. It expands your potential audience and improves code quality and SEO.