Axe™ Updates: Deque releases axe-core 3.5!
With axe-core 3.5, you get 4 new rules, several bug fixes, and a new localization. But what has us especially excited is a much faster, more accurate color contrast test.
Faster color contrast testing
Accurately testing color contrast is one of the most challenging pieces of automated accessibility testing. With axe-core 3.5 we have completely changed how we are going about this. The new color contrast functionality speeds implement much faster on large pages with a slight trade-off; small tests may run slightly slower.
The second benefit of the new approach to color contrast is it’s less error-prone than the previous functionality. With this new test method, we are closing 13 color contrast false positives, reinforcing our commitment that in axe-core, false positives are considered bugs. If you report a perceived false positive, we investigate and fix the problem.
New Rules in axe-core 3.5
Rule 1: svg-img-alt
Ensures SVG elements with an img, graphics-document or graphics-symbol role have an accessible text.
Failure Example:
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img">
<circle cx="50" cy="50" r="40" stroke="green" stroke-width="4" fill="yellow"></circle>
</svg>
Passing Example:
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img">
<title>1 circle</title>
<circle cx="50" cy="50" r="40" fill="yellow"></circle>
</svg>
Rule 2: identical-links-same-purpose
Ensures that links with the same accessible name serve a similar purpose.
Needs Review Example:
<a href="https://www.deque.com/">Deque Systems</a>
<a href="https://www.deque.com/">Home</a>
Passing Example:
<a href="https://www.deque.com/">Deque Systems</a>
<a href="https://www.deque.com/">Deque Systems</a>
Rule 3: landmark-no-duplicate-main
Ensures the document has at most one main landmark. This rule is split off from the landmark-one-main rule for better reporting. This rule does not find new issues.
Failure Example:
<main>Main 1</main>
<main>Main 2</main
Passing Example:
<main>Main 1</main>
Rule 4: no-autoplay-audio (experimental)
Ensures <video> or <audio> elements do not autoplay audio for more than three seconds without a control mechanism to stop or mute the audio. This rule is experimental and is currently available in our early-adopters extension axe coconut. To run experimental rules using the axe-core API, use the “experimental” tag in the runOnly option.
Failure Example:
<audio src=”path/to/audio/duration20s.mp3” autoplay></audio>
Passing Example:
<video src=”path/to/video/duration20s.mp4" autoplay controls></video>
Deprecated Template Language
The templating language used for messages in translations and custom rules is now deprecated. The new templating format allows axe-core to run under a stricter content security policy. The current format remains available in axe-core until the next major release of axe-core. We strongly recommend upgrading to the new template language within the next six months to anyone using custom rules and for authors of axe-core translations. For more information, see the message template documentation.
Deprecated Rules
The aria-dpub-role-fallback and layout-table rules are deprecated and superseded by rules added to axe-core in previous releases. These rules are now turned off by default but remain available until the next major release of axe-core.
Other Changes
- New Danish localization, special thanks to Daniel Freiling and Marianne Gulstad Pedersen for contributing this new translation.
- Performance improvement to td-has-headers.
- The region and landmark-* rules now return individual elements instead of reporting the entire page as one issue.
- The meta-viewport rule is now a best-practice instead of a WCAG 2.0 failure.
- Improved the issue text of several rules involving the role attribute
For a complete list of changes, see the axe-core changelog.
Available in Deque Products
The axe-core 3.5 release will be available soon for WorldSpace Attest, Assure, Comply, and axe Pro.
