react-accessibility-validator

name	react-accessibility-validator
description	Automatically validate React/Next.js components meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. Use when creating components, forms, buttons, modals, navigation, or any interactive UI elements.

Accessibility Validator

Auto-enforces WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards for all React/Next.js components.

Activation Triggers

This skill activates when:

• Creating React/Next.js components
• Building forms, buttons, modals, navigation
• Adding interactive elements
• Mentioning "component", "UI", "form", "button"
• Creating pages or layouts
• Working on user-facing features

WCAG 2.1 AA Requirements (MANDATORY)

All components MUST meet:

• ✅ Keyboard navigation - All interactive elements focusable and usable via keyboard
• ✅ Semantic HTML - Proper HTML elements and ARIA attributes
• ✅ Color contrast - 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text
• ✅ Screen reader support - All content accessible to assistive technologies
• ✅ Focus management - Visible focus indicators, logical tab order
• ✅ Form accessibility - Labels, error announcements, help text

Auto-Validation Process

Step 1: Detect Component Creation

When detecting component being written:

// Component without accessibility
function LoginButton({ onClick }) {
  return <div onClick={onClick}>Login</div>  // ❌ Multiple issues!
}

Step 2: Run Accessibility Checklist

Verify:

1. ❌ Using div instead of button (semantic HTML)
2. ❌ No keyboard support (only onClick, no onKeyDown)
3. ❌ Not focusable (div not in tab order)
4. ❌ No ARIA attributes
5. ❌ No focus styles

Step 3: Auto-Fix Violations

Before (Inaccessible):

function LoginButton({ onClick }) {
  return <div onClick={onClick}>Login</div>
}

After (Accessible):

function LoginButton({ onClick }) {
  return (
    <button
      onClick={onClick}
      type="button"
      className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded hover:bg-blue-700 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 focus:ring-offset-2"
    >
      Login
    </button>
  )
}

Step 4: Explain Fixes

Accessibility Violations Fixed

Changes:

1. ✅ Changed <div> to <button> (semantic HTML)
2. ✅ Added type="button" (prevents form submission)
3. ✅ Button is now keyboard accessible (Enter/Space keys work)
4. ✅ Automatically focusable (in tab order)
5. ✅ Added visible focus ring (focus:ring-2)

Why:

• Buttons are natively accessible to keyboard and screen readers
• Focus ring shows keyboard users where they are
• Proper semantics help assistive technologies

Common Accessibility Patterns

Pattern 1: Buttons vs Links

// ❌ WRONG - div as button
<div onClick={handleClick}>Click me</div>

// ❌ WRONG - link as button
<a href="#" onClick={handleClick}>Click me</a>

// ✅ CORRECT - button for actions
<button onClick={handleClick} type="button">
  Click me
</button>

// ✅ CORRECT - link for navigation
<Link href="/page">Go to page</Link>

Pattern 2: Form Labels

// ❌ WRONG - no label
<input type="email" placeholder="Email" />

// ❌ WRONG - placeholder as label (insufficient)
<input type="email" placeholder="Enter your email" />

// ✅ CORRECT - explicit label
<label htmlFor="email" className="block text-sm font-medium">
  Email Address
</label>
<input
  id="email"
  type="email"
  className="mt-1 block w-full rounded-md border-gray-300"
  aria-required="true"
/>

// ✅ CORRECT - with error handling
<label htmlFor="email" className="block text-sm font-medium">
  Email Address
</label>
<input
  id="email"
  type="email"
  aria-invalid={!!errors.email}
  aria-describedby={errors.email ? "email-error" : undefined}
/>
{errors.email && (
  <p id="email-error" className="mt-1 text-sm text-red-600" role="alert">
    {errors.email.message}
  </p>
)}

Pattern 3: Modal Dialogs

// ✅ CORRECT - Accessible modal
import { Dialog } from '@headlessui/react'

function Modal({ isOpen, onClose, title, children }) {
  return (
    <Dialog
      open={isOpen}
      onClose={onClose}
      className="relative z-50"
    >
      {/* Backdrop */}
      <div className="fixed inset-0 bg-black/30" aria-hidden="true" />

      {/* Modal */}
      <div className="fixed inset-0 flex items-center justify-center p-4">
        <Dialog.Panel className="bg-white rounded-lg p-6 max-w-md">
          <Dialog.Title className="text-lg font-semibold">
            {title}
          </Dialog.Title>

          <div className="mt-4">
            {children}
          </div>

          <button
            onClick={onClose}
            className="mt-4 px-4 py-2 bg-gray-200 rounded"
            aria-label="Close dialog"
          >
            Close
          </button>
        </Dialog.Panel>
      </div>
    </Dialog>
  )
}

Pattern 4: Icon Buttons

// ❌ WRONG - no accessible name
<button>
  <XIcon />
</button>

// ✅ CORRECT - with aria-label
<button aria-label="Close" type="button">
  <XIcon className="h-5 w-5" aria-hidden="true" />
</button>

// ✅ CORRECT - with visually hidden text
<button type="button" className="relative">
  <span className="sr-only">Close</span>
  <XIcon className="h-5 w-5" aria-hidden="true" />
</button>

Pattern 5: Loading States

// ❌ WRONG - no screen reader announcement
{isLoading && <Spinner />}

// ✅ CORRECT - with live region
{isLoading && (
  <div role="status" aria-live="polite">
    <Spinner />
    <span className="sr-only">Loading...</span>
  </div>
)}

Pattern 6: Images

// ❌ WRONG - no alt text
<img src="/logo.png" />

// ✅ CORRECT - with alt text
<img src="/logo.png" alt="Company Logo" />

// ✅ CORRECT - decorative image
<img src="/decoration.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" />

Keyboard Navigation Checklist

For every component, verify:

• ✅ All interactive elements are focusable (button, a, input, etc.)
• ✅ Tab order is logical (follows visual flow)
• ✅ Focus is visible (outline, ring, or custom indicator)
• ✅ No keyboard traps (can escape from all UI)
• ✅ Enter/Space work on buttons
• ✅ Escape closes modals/dropdowns
• ✅ Arrow keys work in lists/menus

Color Contrast Requirements

Check all text meets minimum contrast:

// ❌ WRONG - insufficient contrast (2.5:1)
<p className="text-gray-400 bg-white">Low contrast text</p>

// ✅ CORRECT - good contrast (7:1)
<p className="text-gray-900 bg-white">High contrast text</p>

// ✅ CORRECT - large text can be 3:1
<h1 className="text-2xl text-gray-600 bg-white">Large heading</h1>

Minimum Ratios:

• Normal text (< 18pt): 4.5:1
• Large text (≥ 18pt or bold ≥ 14pt): 3:1
• UI components: 3:1

Screen Reader Support

Landmark Regions

// ✅ CORRECT - proper landmarks
<header role="banner">
  <nav role="navigation" aria-label="Main navigation">
    {/* nav items */}
  </nav>
</header>

<main role="main">
  {/* main content */}
</main>

<aside role="complementary" aria-label="Related content">
  {/* sidebar */}
</aside>

<footer role="contentinfo">
  {/* footer */}
</footer>

ARIA Labels

// ✅ CORRECT - descriptive labels
<button aria-label="Add item to cart">
  <PlusIcon aria-hidden="true" />
</button>

<nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
  <ol>
    <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
    <li aria-current="page">Products</li>
  </ol>
</nav>

Live Regions

// ✅ CORRECT - announce changes
<div role="alert" aria-live="assertive">
  Error: Please fill in all required fields
</div>

<div role="status" aria-live="polite">
  5 items in cart
</div>

Focus Management

'use client'
import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'

function Modal({ isOpen, title }) {
  const titleRef = useRef<HTMLHeadingElement>(null)

  // Focus title when modal opens
  useEffect(() => {
    if (isOpen && titleRef.current) {
      titleRef.current.focus()
    }
  }, [isOpen])

  return (
    <div role="dialog" aria-modal="true">
      <h2 ref={titleRef} tabIndex={-1} className="outline-none">
        {title}
      </h2>
      {/* content */}
    </div>
  )
}

Testing Recommendations

Suggest automated tests:

import { render } from '@testing-library/react'
import { axe, toHaveNoViolations } from 'jest-axe'

expect.extend(toHaveNoViolations)

test('LoginButton has no accessibility violations', async () => {
  const { container } = render(<LoginButton onClick={() => {}} />)
  const results = await axe(container)
  expect(results).toHaveNoViolations()
})

Common Violations Checked

Missing Labels

• Form inputs without labels
• Icon buttons without aria-label
• Images without alt text

Poor Semantics

• Divs instead of buttons
• Links instead of buttons
• Missing heading hierarchy

Keyboard Issues

• Elements not in tab order
• Missing focus indicators
• Keyboard traps

Screen Reader Issues

• Missing ARIA labels
• Incorrect ARIA roles
• No live region announcements

Color Issues

• Insufficient contrast
• Color-only information
• Missing text alternatives

Integration with Tailwind

// Utility class for screen reader only text
<span className="sr-only">Accessible description</span>

// Focus ring utilities
<button className="focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500">
  Click me
</button>

// High contrast text
<p className="text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-100">
  Good contrast in both modes
</p>

Success Criteria

✅ All interactive elements keyboard accessible ✅ All images have alt text ✅ All forms have labels ✅ Color contrast ≥ 4.5:1 (normal text) ✅ Proper semantic HTML used ✅ ARIA attributes where needed ✅ Focus indicators visible ✅ Screen reader tested ✅ Automated axe tests pass

Behavior

Proactive enforcement:

• Check accessibility without being asked
• Fix violations immediately
• Add ARIA attributes automatically
• Explain WCAG criteria for each fix
• Suggest automated tests

Never:

• Require explicit "check accessibility" request
• Wait for accessibility audit
• Just warn without fixing

Block completion if:

• Buttons are divs
• Forms lack labels
• Color contrast fails
• Icon buttons lack accessible names
• Images missing alt text

This ensures every component is accessible from day one.