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Noroff Case Studies

Accessibility tools front end case study

Author: Øyvind Riisnes <Oyvindeavor>

Introduction

Over 1 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. By ignoring accessibility in web development, we exclude a significant portion of the population from accessing vital information, services, and opportunities. As frontend developers, our responsibility extends beyond aesthetics and functionality to ensuring that our work is inclusive and usable by everyone. Fortunately, modern tools make accessibility testing and implementation straightforward, enabling developers to integrate accessibility into their workflow without slowing down productivity.

This case study explores popular accessibility tools for frontend development, their features, and how they streamline the process of building inclusive web experiences.

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities.

  • Legal Compliance: Many countries have laws requiring digital accessibility, such as the ADA in the U.S. and the EAA in the EU.
  • Improved User Experience: Accessibility features like keyboard navigation and proper color contrast enhance usability for all users.
  • SEO Benefits: Accessible practices, such as semantic HTML and descriptive alt text, often align with SEO best practices.
  • Expanded Audience: By prioritizing accessibility, you open your content to a broader audience, including people with disabilities and those in temporary situations like low lighting or injuries.

Accessibility Tools for Frontend Developers

The following tools are designed to integrate seamlessly into the development process, helping developers identify and resolve accessibility issues efficiently.

Axe Accessibility Linter

  • What it is: A VS Code extension that scans HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for accessibility issues.

  • Features:

    • Real-time feedback directly in the editor.
    • Integration with axe-core, a popular accessibility testing library.
    • Highlights issues like missing ARIA labels, poor contrast, and improper element structure.

  • Use case: Ideal for developers looking for immediate insights while coding.

  • Axe DevTools Linter - Official Site

  • Axe Linter - Visual Studio Code Extension

Accessibility Insights for Web

  • What it is: A browser and standalone version for accessibility testing, developed by Microsoft.

  • Features:

    • Live testing with guided flows to assess compliance with WCAG guidelines.
    • Spotlights issues like keyboard navigation gaps and low contrast ratios.
    • Allows developers to see the impact of changes in real-time.

  • Negatives

    • Only supports chrome and microsoft edge
    • Only offer a standalone application for windows.

  • Use case: Best for comprehensive testing during and after development.

  • Accessibility Insights for Web

Lighthouse

  • What it is: An open-source tool built into Chrome DevTools for auditing web performance, SEO, and accessibility.

  • Features:

    • Generates an accessibility score based on WCAG compliance.
    • Highlights actionable issues with suggestions for fixes.
    • Can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines for automated testing.

  • Use case: Useful for high-level audits and maintaining accessibility over

  • Google lighthouse

eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y

  • What it is: A plugin for ESLint that provides static analysis of accessibility issues in React applications.

  • Features:

    • Enforces best practices in JSX, such as requiring alt attributes for images.
    • Offers configuration options to customize rules for specific projects.

  • Use case: Ideal for React developers who want to incorporate accessibility into their linting workflow.

  • Eslint plugin jsx-a11y

Contrast Checker by WebAIM

  • What it is: A simple online tool for checking color contrast ratios.
  • Features:
    • Tests text and background color combinations against WCAG standards.
    • Offers suggestions to adjust colors for better compliance.
  • Use case: Perfect for designers and developers focusing on visual accessibility.
  • WebAIM contrast checker

Comparing Accessibility Tools

While each of these tools has unique strengths, they often work best when used together. For example:

  • axe Accessibility Linter is excellent for catching issues during coding, but it might miss more complex scenarios that Accessibility Insights for Web can uncover.
  • Lighthouse provides a high-level overview and scoring system, while tools like Contrast Checker focus on specific design-related aspects like color contrast.
  • Automated tools can identify a majority of issues.

By combining these tools, developers can address accessibility issues comprehensively and create inclusive experiences.

Integrating Accessibility into Your Workflow

Here’s how to make accessibility an integral part of your development process:

1. Start with Semantic HTML

Use appropriate HTML elements for structure (e.g., <header>, <main>, <footer>). This provides a strong foundation for accessibility.

2. Use Tools Early and Often

Run accessibility checks during development, not just at the end. Tools like axe and eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y help catch issues early.

3. Incorporate Automated Testing

Integrate tools like Lighthouse or axe-core into your CI/CD pipeline.

Conclusion

Accessibility tools have made it easier than ever to build inclusive web experiences. By incorporating these tools into your workflow, you not only meet legal and ethical obligations but also enhance usability, expand your audience, and showcase your professionalism as a developer. Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have feature—it’s a necessity for creating a web that works for everyone.

By making accessibility a priority, you contribute to a more inclusive digital world.