WCAG 2.1 AA
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at conformance level AA is the international standard for web accessibility. xyva's Auditor checks your pages against these criteria and reports violations with specific remediation guidance.
The Four Principles
WCAG is organized around four principles, often abbreviated as POUR:
| Principle | Meaning | Key Question |
|---|---|---|
| Perceivable | Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive | Can everyone see, hear, or read the content? |
| Operable | Interface components must be operable by all users | Can everyone navigate, click, and interact? |
| Understandable | Information and UI must be understandable | Can everyone comprehend the content and predict behavior? |
| Robust | Content must work with current and future technologies | Does it work with assistive tech and across browsers? |
Success Criteria Checked by xyva
Perceivable
| Criterion | Title | What xyva Checks |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 | Non-text Content | All <img> elements have meaningful alt attributes |
| 1.3.1 | Info and Relationships | Headings, lists, and tables use semantic HTML |
| 1.4.1 | Use of Color | Information is not conveyed by color alone |
| 1.4.3 | Contrast (Minimum) | Text has at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio against background |
| 1.4.11 | Non-text Contrast | UI components have at least 3:1 contrast ratio |
Operable
| Criterion | Title | What xyva Checks |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1 | Keyboard | All functionality is available via keyboard |
| 2.1.2 | No Keyboard Trap | Focus can be moved away from every component |
| 2.4.1 | Bypass Blocks | Skip navigation link or ARIA landmarks exist |
| 2.4.3 | Focus Order | Tab order follows a logical reading sequence |
| 2.4.7 | Focus Visible | Focused elements have a visible focus indicator |
Understandable
| Criterion | Title | What xyva Checks |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1.1 | Language of Page | <html> element has a valid lang attribute |
| 3.2.1 | On Focus | Focusing an element does not trigger unexpected context changes |
| 3.3.1 | Error Identification | Form errors are described in text, not just color |
| 3.3.2 | Labels or Instructions | Form inputs have associated <label> elements |
Robust
| Criterion | Title | What xyva Checks |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1.1 | Parsing | HTML has no duplicate IDs or unclosed elements |
| 4.1.2 | Name, Role, Value | Custom components expose correct ARIA roles and states |
Coverage
xyva covers the most impactful WCAG 2.1 AA criteria. Some criteria require manual review (e.g., 1.2.5 Audio Description) and are flagged as "Manual Check Required" in the report.
Interpreting Results
Each violation maps to a specific criterion and includes:
- Rule ID — e.g.,
wcag-1.4.3-contrast - Element — CSS selector pointing to the offending element
- Current value — e.g., contrast ratio of 2.8:1
- Required value — e.g., minimum 4.5:1
- Recommendation — specific fix, e.g., "Change text color from #999 to #595959"
Quick Wins
Start with Perceivable criteria — missing alt text and contrast issues are the most common violations and the easiest to fix.
Related Pages
- BFSG Compliance — German law that references WCAG 2.1 AA
- Audit Workflow — how to run an audit and export results