Accessibility Code Review: Automating WCAG Compliance Checks

Accessibility isn't optional—it's essential. Yet manual accessibility reviews are time-consuming and often miss critical issues. Learn how to integrate automated WCAG compliance checks into your code review process to build inclusive applications at scale.

Why Accessibility Code Review Matters

With over 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, ensuring your applications are accessible isn't just about compliance—it's about creating inclusive experiences for all users. Traditional manual accessibility testing catches only a fraction of issues, while automated tools integrated into code review can identify problems before they impact users.

Setting Up Automated WCAG Checks

Modern accessibility testing tools can automatically detect up to 57% of WCAG issues during code review. By integrating tools like axe-core, Pa11y, or Lighthouse into your CI/CD pipeline, you can catch common violations like missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, and keyboard navigation problems before merge.

Common Accessibility Anti-Patterns in Code

During code review, watch for these frequently missed accessibility issues: improper ARIA usage, missing semantic HTML, focus management problems, and hardcoded colors without considering contrast ratios. Each of these can significantly impact users relying on assistive technologies.

Manual Review Checklist for Accessibility

While automation catches many issues, human review remains crucial for context-dependent accessibility concerns. Your checklist should include: keyboard navigation flow, screen reader announcements, error message clarity, and interactive element labeling.

Integrating Accessibility into Team Culture

Making accessibility a natural part of code review requires team buy-in and clear standards. Establish accessibility champions, create shared testing scenarios, and celebrate improvements in accessibility metrics to build a culture where inclusive design is the default.

Measuring Accessibility Improvements

Track your progress with metrics like: percentage of automatically detectable issues caught before production, time to fix accessibility bugs, and user satisfaction scores from assistive technology users. These metrics help justify continued investment in accessibility tooling and training.