You’re a developer, architect, or engineer. You already know compliance isn’t about marketing fluff – it’s about meeting a standard that’s precise, testable, and enforceable. Here’s your deep dive on building and maintaining web assets that conform to WCAG at the AA level.
Table of Contents
Table of contents
What Is WCAG AA?
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a W3C specification structured in Principles → Guidelines → Success Criteria (SC). AA is the mid-tier conformance level that’s referenced in accessibility laws, procurement contracts, and technical requirements.
Example structure:
Principle → Guideline → Success Criterion
Perceivable → 1.4 Distinguishable → SC 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
- Normal text: 4.5:1
- Large text: 3:1- WCAG 2.1 (June 2018) introduced 17 new SC, focusing on mobile support and interactive UI patterns (e.g., 2.5.5 Target Size).
- WCAG 2.2 (October 2023) added 9 SC, including visible focus enhancements, larger target areas, better authentication flows, and consistent help mechanisms.
- WCAG 2.2 AA compliance automatically covers WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.0.
Official W3C docs: WCAG Overview
Why It Matters – Technically
Accessibility isn’t “nice to have”; it’s part of functional correctness.
Key technical domains:
- Semantic integrity – Proper use of native HTML elements, ARIA roles, labels, and
langattributes. - Keyboard operability – Logical focus order, visible focus indicators, skip links, keyboard-accessible custom controls.
- Visual compliance – Contrast calculations, minimum target sizes, hover/focus state persistence.
- Runtime robustness – ARIA state changes,
aria-liveupdates, accessible drag/drop patterns, predictable navigation, and clear error messaging.
Failing these breaks, assistive tech compatibility and violates SC requirements.
How to Bake WCAG Into Development
a. Static Code Analysis
- Enforce semantic HTML (
<button>,<label>,<header>,<main>). - Use linters (e.g.
eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y) for JSX/React projects. - Integrate automated checks with axe-core during local development.
b. CI/CD Integration
- Add accessibility tests in your pipeline:
- axe DevTools CLI for automated WCAG scanning.
- Accessibility Insights CLI for semi-automated guided audits.
- Contrast validation tools for SC 1.4.3/1.4.6.
- Fail builds on critical SC violations.
Manual Testing & Assistive Tech
- Screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) to verify labels, landmarks, and reading order.
- Keyboard-only navigation to check focus order, tab traps, and hidden controls.
- Simulate visual impairments with tools like NoCoffee Vision Simulator.
Tools You Can Use
| Tool | Purpose | SC Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| axe-core / axe DevTools | Automated WCAG analysis in browser & CLI | 2.1 / 2.2 |
| Accessibility Insights | Automated + guided manual checks | 2.1 / 2.2 |
| WAVE | Visual overlay of accessibility issues | 2.0 / 2.1 |
| Contrast Ratio Checker | CSS color contrast validation | 1.4.3, 1.4.6 |
| Pa11y | CLI accessibility tester, CI-friendly | 2.0 / 2.1 |
Automated tools will catch many structural and visual issues, but certain SC – like reading level, accessible authentication, and consistent help require manual verification.
WCAG Version Timeline
- WCAG 2.0 – Dec 2008
- WCAG 2.1 – June 2018, updated May 2025
- WCAG 2.2 – October 2023, latest recommendation
- WCAG 3.0 – Working Draft (not ready for conformance claims)
Target WCAG 2.2 AA for new projects. It’s backward-compatible and aligns with upcoming regulatory requirements like the EU Accessibility Act (June 2025).
FAQs for Developers
Q: Should I switch to WCAG 2.2 now?
Yes. It’s backward-compatible and already referenced in new compliance requirements.
Q: Is WCAG 3.0 ready?
No. Stick to WCAG 2.2 for production.
Q: Which SC requires manual testing?
- SC 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose)
- SC 2.5.7 (Dragging Movements)
- SC 3.3.8 (Accessible Authentication)
- SC 3.3.7 (Redundant Entry)
…and others involving user flows or contextual understanding.
Wrapping Up
For developers, accessibility is part of the engineering discipline. Treat WCAG compliance like you treat security, performance, and code quality:
- Integrate accessibility checks into your dev and CI pipelines.
- Enforce semantic markup and ARIA best practices.
- Validate with both automated and manual testing.
- Re-audit after every deployment.
Aim for WCAG 2.2 AA as your baseline. It ensures your builds are accessible, standards-compliant, and future-proof – without waiting for a complaint or a legal notice to force a fix.
