Making accessibility standards easy to understand, one success criterion at a time.

Friendly reminder: This is a beginner-friendly guide, not a replacement for the official WCAG. See our full disclaimer.

responsibility: Code

Collection of success criterion where the responsibility falls under technical implementation and developer tasks.

WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 Level A

2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

‘Skip links’ are available for keyboard users to jump past navigation.

Keyboard
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 Level A

2.4.3 Focus Order

When a keyboard user tabs through a page, the order goes from top to bottom and left to right, as you would read the page.

Keyboard
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 Level AA

2.4.7 Focus Visible

There’s visible keyboard focus styling to indicate which element you’re currently focused on.

Keyboard, Sensory
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 Level AAA

2.4.8 Location

The user is clearly informed where they are in a set of pages.

Whole Site
Cognitive, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 Level AAA

2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only)

It is clear where a link will take you from the link text alone, without having to read the text around it.

Code and Labels, Wording
Cognitive, Visual
Code, Content, Design
WCAG 2.2 Level AA

2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

The keyboard focus is not completely hidden by other content.

Keyboard
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.2 Level AAA

2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)

The keyboard focus is fully visible at all times.

Keyboard
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.2 Level AAA

2.4.13 Focus Appearance

Focus indicators are at least 2px thick and have a 3:1 contrast ratio against adjacent colors.

Keyboard, Sensory
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code, Design
WCAG 2.1, 2.2 Level A

2.5.1 Pointer Gestures

All actions that are carried out using a gesture (swiping, pinching, and so on) or drawing, can also be done with a button or buttons.

Gestures
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code
WCAG 2.1, 2.2 Level A

2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation

Actions (like pressing a button) aren’t triggered on mouse-down; rather on mouse-up.

Gestures
Cognitive, Physical/Motor, Visual
Code