Why Accessibility Matters in Websites and React Apps

Why Accessibility Matters in Websites and React Apps
Aswanth Alakkadan
February 28, 2025
7 min read

The web should be for everyone. Yet, millions of users face barriers when browsing due to poor accessibility. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or business owner, making your website accessible isn’t just about compliance—it’s about inclusivity, better user experience, and even improved SEO.

Why Accessibility is Important

1. Inclusivity

An accessible website ensures that people with disabilities—including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments—can navigate and interact with your content without barriers.

2. Legal Compliance

Many countries enforce web accessibility laws. In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates accessible websites, while India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set global standards.

3. Better User Experience

Accessibility benefits not just people with disabilities but also those using mobile devices, slow networks, or temporary impairments (e.g., a broken arm or bright sunlight affecting screen visibility).

4. SEO Benefits

Search engines favor accessible websites. Proper use of semantic HTML, alt text, and headings can boost your rankings.

5. Business Growth

By improving accessibility, you reach a wider audience, enhance engagement, and increase conversions.

How to Improve Accessibility in Websites & React Apps

1️⃣ Use Semantic HTML

  • Use correct elements like <button>, <label>, <nav>, and <article> instead of non-semantic <div> and <span>.
  • Structure headings properly (h1 → h2 → h3) to maintain a logical flow for screen readers.

2️⃣ Provide Alternative Text for Media

  • Add alt attributes to images (<img src="logo.png" alt="Company Logo">).
  • Use aria-label or aria-labelledby for icons or non-text elements.

3️⃣ Ensure Keyboard Navigation Works

  • Test if users can navigate using only the Tab key.
  • Use tabindex="0" for necessary focusable elements.
  • Avoid removing outline styles (use focus-visible for better UX).

4️⃣ Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Attributes

  • aria-live for dynamic content updates.
  • aria-hidden="true" for decorative elements.
  • aria-expanded for dropdowns and accordions.

5️⃣ Add Focus Indicators

  • Ensure keyboard users can see which element is focused:

    button:focus {
  outline: 2px solid blue;
}

6️⃣ Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast

  • Use tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker to verify contrast ratios.
  • Avoid color-only indicators (e.g., errors should have text + icon, not just a red color change).

7️⃣ Provide Accessible Forms

  • Use <label> elements properly.
  • Group related inputs using <fieldset> and <legend>.
  • Provide meaningful error messages (aria-describedby).

8️⃣ Implement Skip Links

  • Help screen reader users skip repetitive content:

    <a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">Skip to main content</a>

9️⃣ Test with Screen Readers & Accessibility Tools

  • Use NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (Mac/iOS), or JAWS.
  • Chrome DevTools has an Accessibility tab to check issues.
  • Run Lighthouse audits (Ctrl + Shift + I → Audits → Accessibility).

Accessibility in React

React developers have additional tools to enhance accessibility:

✅ Use Accessible Component Libraries – Material UI, Chakra UI, and Radix UI have built-in accessibility. ✅ React ARIA Hooks – Hooks like useId, useFocusRing, and useComboBox help manage accessibility. ✅ React Helmet – Helps structure pages with proper <title> and <meta> tags. ✅ eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y – Linting tool to catch JSX accessibility issues.

Final Thoughts

Accessibility is not an afterthought—it’s a core principle of good web development. By implementing these best practices in your React apps and websites, you create a more inclusive, user-friendly, and high-performing product. Start small, test often, and make the web a better place for everyone!