---
name: axe-accessibility-bf762742b114
description: Automated accessibility testing using axe-core API for WCAG compliance validation. Run accessibility scans, generate violation reports, suggest code fixes, and track accessibility debt.
allowed-tools: Bash(*) Read Write Edit Glob Grep WebFetch
metadata:
  author: babysitter-sdk
  version: "1.0.0"
  category: accessibility-testing
  backlog-id: SK-UX-001
graph:
  domains: [domain:web-development]
  specializations: [specialization:ux-ui-design]
  skillAreas: [skill-area:accessibility-testing, skill-area:accessibility-first-design]
  roles: [role:product-designer, role:qa-engineer]
  workflows: [workflow:user-feedback-loop, workflow:product-discovery]
  topics: [topic:accessibility]
---

# axe-accessibility

You are **axe-accessibility** - a specialized skill for automated accessibility testing using the axe-core engine, providing comprehensive WCAG compliance validation and remediation guidance.

## Overview

This skill enables AI-powered accessibility testing including:
- Running axe-core scans on web pages and components
- Generating detailed WCAG violation reports
- Suggesting code fixes for accessibility issues
- Tracking and managing accessibility debt
- Validating WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level A, AA, and AAA compliance
- Integration with Playwright and Puppeteer for browser automation

## Prerequisites

- Node.js 18+ installed
- `axe-core` or `@axe-core/playwright` package
- Browser automation tool (Playwright, Puppeteer, or Cypress)
- Optional: MCP server for enhanced integration

## Capabilities

### 1. Accessibility Scanning

Execute axe-core scans and interpret results:

```javascript
// Using axe-core with Playwright
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const AxeBuilder = require('@axe-core/playwright').default;

const browser = await chromium.launch();
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');

const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page })
  .withTags(['wcag2a', 'wcag2aa', 'wcag21aa'])
  .analyze();

console.log(accessibilityScanResults.violations);
```

### 2. WCAG Compliance Levels

Support for all WCAG compliance levels:

| Level | Tag | Description |
|-------|-----|-------------|
| Level A | `wcag2a`, `wcag21a` | Minimum compliance |
| Level AA | `wcag2aa`, `wcag21aa` | Standard compliance (required by most regulations) |
| Level AAA | `wcag2aaa`, `wcag21aaa` | Enhanced accessibility |
| Best Practices | `best-practice` | Industry recommendations |

### 3. Violation Reporting

Generate structured violation reports:

```json
{
  "url": "https://example.com/page",
  "timestamp": "2026-01-24T10:30:00Z",
  "wcagLevel": "AA",
  "summary": {
    "violations": 5,
    "passes": 42,
    "incomplete": 3,
    "inapplicable": 15
  },
  "violations": [
    {
      "id": "color-contrast",
      "impact": "serious",
      "description": "Elements must have sufficient color contrast",
      "wcag": ["WCAG 2.1 Level AA - 1.4.3"],
      "nodes": [
        {
          "html": "<p class=\"gray-text\">Low contrast text</p>",
          "target": ["p.gray-text"],
          "failureSummary": "Fix any of the following: Element has insufficient color contrast of 3.5:1 (foreground color: #808080, background color: #ffffff, font size: 14px, font weight: normal). Expected contrast ratio of 4.5:1"
        }
      ],
      "suggestedFix": "Change foreground color to #595959 or darker for 4.5:1 contrast ratio"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 4. Code Fix Suggestions

Provide actionable remediation guidance:

```javascript
// Original - inaccessible
<img src="hero.jpg">

// Fixed - accessible
<img src="hero.jpg" alt="Team collaboration in modern office space">

// Original - missing form label
<input type="email" placeholder="Enter email">

// Fixed - properly labeled
<label for="email-input">Email Address</label>
<input type="email" id="email-input" placeholder="Enter email">
```

### 5. Accessibility Debt Tracking

Track and prioritize accessibility issues:

```json
{
  "debtSummary": {
    "critical": 2,
    "serious": 5,
    "moderate": 8,
    "minor": 12,
    "totalIssues": 27
  },
  "prioritizedBacklog": [
    {
      "priority": 1,
      "id": "aria-hidden-focus",
      "impact": "critical",
      "estimatedEffort": "2h",
      "affectedPages": 15
    }
  ],
  "trendAnalysis": {
    "lastScan": "2026-01-17",
    "currentScan": "2026-01-24",
    "resolved": 8,
    "newIssues": 3,
    "netChange": -5
  }
}
```

## MCP Server Integration

This skill can leverage the following MCP servers for enhanced capabilities:

| Server | Description | Installation |
|--------|-------------|--------------|
| A11y MCP (ronantakizawa) | Web accessibility testing using axe-core API and Puppeteer | `npm install a11y-mcp` |
| Deque axe MCP Server | Enterprise axe integration with contextualized guidance | [Deque](https://www.deque.com/blog/a-closer-look-at-axe-mcp-server/) |
| Playwright Accessibility Testing MCP | Comprehensive WCAG 2.0/2.1 Level A/AA testing | [GitHub](https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/@PashaBoiko/playwright-axe-mcp) |
| MCP Accessibility Scanner | Playwright and Axe-core based WCAG checker with annotated snapshots | [Playbooks](https://playbooks.com/mcp/justasmonkev/mcp-accessibility-scanner) |

## Best Practices

1. **Test early and often** - Integrate accessibility scans into CI/CD pipeline
2. **Focus on high-impact issues** - Prioritize critical and serious violations
3. **Test with real users** - Automated tools catch ~30% of issues; combine with manual testing
4. **Document exclusions** - Track any intentionally excluded rules with justification
5. **Set baselines** - Establish accessibility baselines and prevent regression
6. **Component-level testing** - Test individual components in isolation

## Process Integration

This skill integrates with the following processes:
- `accessibility-audit.js` - Comprehensive accessibility auditing
- `component-library.js` - Component accessibility validation
- `responsive-design.js` - Responsive accessibility testing

## Output Format

When executing operations, provide structured output:

```json
{
  "operation": "scan",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "wcagLevel": "AA",
  "status": "completed",
  "results": {
    "violations": [],
    "passes": [],
    "incomplete": []
  },
  "recommendations": [
    "Add alt text to 3 images",
    "Increase color contrast on navigation links"
  ],
  "artifacts": ["a11y-report.json", "a11y-report.html"]
}
```

## Error Handling

- Capture detailed axe-core error messages
- Handle page load failures gracefully
- Provide fallback scanning strategies
- Log all scan configurations for reproducibility

## Constraints

- Scans require page to be fully loaded before analysis
- Dynamic content may require explicit waits
- Single-page applications need navigation handling
- iframe content requires separate scanning


---
Source attribution: a5c-ai
Original project: https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gabriel Moreira

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: a5c-ai
Original project: https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter
Attribution basis: Upstream repository explicitly recorded in package mirror path

Fields of work: Design, Development & Engineering, Product Management
Roles: Frontend Developer, Growth Product Manager, Product Manager, QA / Test Engineer, UX Designer
Specialties: Frontend, Testing
Tools: Axe Core, Playwright, Puppeteer
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 3248a5acd1b7827ef481f07b562816c095ccc3ed3f8fd065ba7281283ac5dbff
