Unlocking Accessibility in React Applications
The Alarming Truth About Web Accessibility
A staggering 97.8% of home pages fail to meet basic accessibility standards, according to WebAIM. This is a concerning reality, especially since accessibility is often an afterthought in web development. It’s time to shift our focus and make accessibility a top priority.
Beyond WCAG 2.x Standards
While guidelines like WCAG 2.x are essential, they can sometimes be used as an excuse to do the bare minimum. What truly matters is ensuring that real users of assistive technologies can verify the accessibility of our developments. Automated tools can’t replace human testing, and it’s crucial to involve users in the testing process.
The Complexity of Single-Page Applications
Modern JavaScript frameworks like React introduce complexities that can make accessibility more challenging. When a user clicks a link, the content changes dynamically, without a full page reload. This can leave assistive technologies unaware of the change, unless we take deliberate action.
Simple Steps to Improve Accessibility
So, what can we do to make our React websites more accessible?
Use Semantic HTML
Using correct HTML elements and attributes is crucial. It’s surprising how often this basic principle is overlooked. By using semantic HTML, we can make our website more accessible to assistive technologies.
Ensure Logical Content Order
Always ensure that the content of a page is in a logical order, without relying on CSS or JavaScript to reorder content after the page loads. This allows screen readers to navigate through the markup more easily.
Utilize Layout Components and Semantic HTML
Using layout components in React can promote consistency and accessibility. By wrapping all components in a layout component, we can ensure that semantic HTML is used throughout the application.
Focus on Headings and Header Management
Headings are essential for screen readers to understand the organization of content. Avoid skipping headers, and use them to provide a clear overview of the content.
Manage Focus on Route Transitions
When transitioning between routes, it’s essential to manage focus correctly. This ensures that screen readers can navigate the new content effectively. Reach Router and react-router can help with this process.
Enable Keyboard Navigation
By using sensible HTML element choices for buttons and links, we can enable keyboard navigation. Avoid using spans or divs as buttons or links, and ensure that all form controls have labels.
Display Validation Messages and Error Summaries
When displaying error messages, ensure that they are accessible to all users. Use a higher-order component to display error messages below each invalid field, and provide a validation summary with links to each error.
Use ARIA Attributes Wisely
While ARIA attributes should be used sparingly, the aria-live attribute is an exception. It informs screen readers of new content on the page, ensuring that users are notified of changes.
Make CSS Work for Accessibility
Use CSS to enhance accessibility, rather than hinder it. Avoid using display:none to hide content, ensure sufficient text and background color contrast, and add a focus state to interactive elements.
The Bottom Line
It’s time to take action and make our React applications more accessible. By following these simple steps, we can ensure that our websites are available to all users, regardless of their abilities. Let’s work together to create a more inclusive web.