dirnbauer TYPO3 Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA)
Compatibility: TYPO3 v14.x only. Older cores are out of scope for this collection.
TYPO3 API First: Always use TYPO3's built-in APIs, Fluid ViewHelpers, and core features before adding custom markup. Verify methods exist in TYPO3 v14.
PHP & JS over TypoScript: This skill provides PHP middleware, Fluid partials, and vanilla JavaScript solutions. TypoScript examples are avoided; use PHP-based approaches.
1. Accessibility Checklist (Go-Live Gate)
Run through this checklist before every deployment. Mark items as you fix them.
Semantic Structure
- Every page has exactly one
<h1> - Heading hierarchy is sequential (
h1>h2>h3, no skips) - Landmark elements used:
<main>,<nav>,<header>,<footer>,<aside> - Skip-to-content link is the first focusable element
-
<html lang="...">matches page language - Language changes within content use
langattribute on containing element
Images & Media
- All
<img>havealtattribute (emptyalt=""for decorative) - All
<img>have explicitwidthandheight(prevents CLS) - Complex images (charts, infographics) have long description
- Videos have captions/subtitles
- Audio content has transcript
- No auto-playing media with sound
Color & Contrast
- Text contrast >= 4.5:1 (normal) / 3:1 (large text >= 24px / 18.66px bold)
- UI components and graphical objects >= 3:1 contrast
- Information not conveyed by color alone (add icon, text, or pattern)
- Dark mode (if implemented) maintains contrast ratios
Keyboard & Focus
- All interactive elements reachable via Tab
- Focus order matches visual order
- Visible focus indicator on all interactive elements (
:focus-visible) - No focus traps (except modals — which must trap correctly)
- Escape closes modals/overlays and returns focus to trigger
- Custom widgets have correct keyboard handlers
Forms
- Every input has a programmatic
<label>(explicitfor/idor wrapping) - Placeholder is not used as sole label
- Required fields indicated visually and with
requiredattribute - Error messages linked to inputs via
aria-describedby+aria-invalid - Form groups use
<fieldset>+<legend> - Correct
typeandautocompleteattributes on inputs
ARIA & Dynamic Content
- Icon-only buttons have
aria-label - Decorative icons have
aria-hidden="true" - Dynamic updates use
aria-live="polite"orrole="status" - Error alerts use
role="alert" - Active navigation links have
aria-current="page" - Expandable elements use
aria-expanded
Motion & Interaction
-
prefers-reduced-motionrespected (CSS and JS) - No content flashes more than 3 times per second
- Touch targets meet WCAG 2.2 AA 2.5.8 (minimum 24×24 CSS pixels); use 44×44 as a stricter comfort target where feasible
-
user-scalable=nois NOT set in viewport meta
TYPO3-Specific
- Backend: alt text fields are filled for all images in File List
- Backend: content elements have descriptive headers (or
header_layout = 100for hidden) - Backend: page properties have proper
<title>anddescription - Fluid templates use
<f:link.page>/<f:link.typolink>(not<a>with manual hrefs) - Content Block / Content Element templates follow accessible patterns below
2. WCAG 2.2 Conformance Audit Workflow
When asked for a WCAG 2.2 audit, do the work that can be done by the agent before handing anything back:
- Identify audited URLs, languages, viewports, forms, dialogs, menus, media, downloads, and third-party embeds.
- Run
scripts/wcag22_audit.cjsagainst the rendered pages with axe-core tags for WCAG 2.0/2.1/2.2 A/AA. - Review and either fix or document all automated violations and
incompleteitems. The audit script computes contrast forcolor-contrastincomplete nodes where possible; use that evidence before escalating. Do not treat unresolvedincompleteas a pass. - Verify semantic structure, page language, landmarks, one
<h1>, heading order, skip link, imagealt, image dimensions, viewport zoom, footer/header navigation, focusability, target-size candidates, and target-size exceptions for inline text links. - Probe keyboard order with real Tab navigation where possible. Fix clear template/component defects immediately.
- Write an audit report with two sections:
- Agent-completed evidence: commands, URLs, viewport, tool versions, violations, fixes, residual technical risks.
- Human/user follow-up only: screen reader confirmation, legal statement approval, and only applicable device-only, third-party/PDF/media, or user-testing tasks.
Use the detailed procedure in Testing & Tools when a conformance audit is requested. A successful automated run is not a WCAG conformance claim; it is evidence for the parts that automation and code inspection can cover.
3. Fluid Template Patterns
3.1 Page Layout with Landmarks
<!-- EXT:site_package/Resources/Private/Layouts/Default.html -->
<!-- Layout files must NOT contain <f:layout> — that tag belongs in Templates to select a layout. -->
<f:render section="Main" />
<!-- EXT:site_package/Resources/Private/Templates/Default.html -->
<f:layout name="Default" />
<f:section name="Main">
<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">
<f:translate key="LLL:EXT:site_package/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:skip_to_content" />
</a>
<header>
<!-- Main nav landmark lives in the partial (e.g. MainMenu.html) to avoid nested <nav>. -->
<f:cObject typoscriptObjectPath="lib.mainNavigation" />
</header>
<main id="main-content">
<f:render section="Content" />
</main>
<footer>
<nav aria-label="{f:translate(key: 'LLL:EXT:site_package/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:nav.footer')}">
<f:cObject typoscriptObjectPath="lib.footerNavigation" />
</nav>
</footer>
</f:section>
3.2 Skip Link CSS
.skip-link {
position: absolute;
top: -100%;
left: 0;
z-index: 10000;
padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
background: var(--color-primary, #2563eb);
color: var(--color-on-primary, #fff);
font-weight: 600;
text-decoration: none;
}
.skip-link:focus {
top: 0;
}
3.3 Accessible Image Rendering
<!-- Partial: Resources/Private/Partials/Media/Image.html -->
<f:if condition="{image}">
<figure>
<f:image
image="{image}"
alt="{image.alternative}"
title="{image.title}"
width="{dimensions.width}"
height="{dimensions.height}"
loading="{f:if(condition: lazyLoad, then: 'lazy', else: 'eager')}"
additionalAttributes="{decoding: 'async'}"
/>
<f:if condition="{image.description}">
<figcaption>{image.description}</figcaption>
</f:if>
</figure>
</f:if>
For decorative images (no informational value):
<f:image image="{image}" alt="" />
3.4 Accessible Content Element Wrapper
<!-- Partial: Resources/Private/Partials/ContentElement/Header.html -->
<f:if condition="{data.header} && {data.header_layout} != '100'">
<f:switch expression="{data.header_layout}">
<f:case value="1"><h1>{data.header}</h1></f:case>
<f:case value="2"><h2>{data.header}</h2></f:case>
<f:case value="3"><h3>{data.header}</h3></f:case>
<f:case value="4"><h4>{data.header}</h4></f:case>
<f:case value="5"><h5>{data.header}</h5></f:case>
<f:defaultCase><h2>{data.header}</h2></f:defaultCase>
</f:switch>
</f:if>
3.5 Accessible Navigation Partial
<!-- Partial: Resources/Private/Partials/Navigation/MainMenu.html -->
<nav aria-label="{f:translate(key: 'LLL:EXT:site_package/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:nav.main')}">
<!-- role="list" restores list semantics in Safari/VoiceOver when list-style:none strips native list role -->
<ul role="list">
<f:for each="{menu}" as="item">
<li>
<f:if condition="{item.active}">
<f:then>
<a href="{item.link}" aria-current="page">{item.title}</a>
</f:then>
<f:else>
<a href="{item.link}">{item.title}</a>
</f:else>
</f:if>
<f:if condition="{item.children}">
<ul>
<f:for each="{item.children}" as="child">
<li>
<a href="{child.link}"
{f:if(condition: child.active, then: 'aria-current="page"')}>
{child.title}
</a>
</li>
</f:for>
</ul>
</f:if>
</li>
</f:for>
</ul>
</nav>
3.6 Accessible Accordion (Content Blocks / Custom CE)
<div class="accordion" data-accordion>
<f:for each="{items}" as="item" iteration="iter">
<div class="accordion__item">
<!-- Use role="heading" + aria-level so level matches page outline (pass headingLevel 2–6 from CE). -->
<div role="heading" aria-level="{f:if(condition: headingLevel, then: headingLevel, else: '3')}">
<button
type="button"
class="accordion__trigger"
aria-expanded="false"
aria-controls="accordion-panel-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
id="accordion-header-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
data-accordion-trigger
>
{item.header}
</button>
</div>
<div
id="accordion-panel-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
role="region"
aria-labelledby="accordion-header-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
class="accordion__panel"
hidden
>
<f:format.html>{item.bodytext}</f:format.html>
</div>
</div>
</f:for>
</div>
3.7 Accessible Tab Component
<div class="tabs" data-tabs>
<div role="tablist" aria-label="{f:translate(key: 'tabs.label')}">
<f:for each="{items}" as="item" iteration="iter">
<button
type="button"
role="tab"
id="tab-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
aria-controls="tabpanel-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
aria-selected="{f:if(condition: iter.isFirst, then: 'true', else: 'false')}"
tabindex="{f:if(condition: iter.isFirst, then: '0', else: '-1')}"
>
{item.header}
</button>
</f:for>
</div>
<f:for each="{items}" as="item" iteration="iter">
<div
role="tabpanel"
id="tabpanel-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
aria-labelledby="tab-{data.uid}-{iter.index}"
tabindex="0"
{f:if(condition: iter.isFirst, then: '', else: 'hidden')}
>
<f:format.html>{item.bodytext}</f:format.html>
</div>
</f:for>
</div>
Detailed Reference
Read the full guide when the task needs detailed examples, long templates, troubleshooting matrices, appendices, or sections not included above. Keep this file unloaded for narrow tasks so the skill follows progressive disclosure.