Public documentation
Diagnostics and limitations
Operational diagnostics, unsupported contexts, and scan-boundary explanations.
Diagnostics purpose
Diagnostics explain whether A11Y Cat could run, what runtime boundaries affected the scan, and what evidence may be incomplete. A diagnostic result is operational context, not a page defect.
Common limitation sources
| Source | What it means | Reviewer action |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted pages | The browser blocks extension access. | Record unsupported context and test with another method. |
| Iframes and cross-origin content | Some embedded content may be inaccessible. | Test embedded experiences separately where authorised. |
| Shadow DOM and custom widgets | Automated tools may not capture full behaviour. | Inspect component semantics and user interaction manually. |
| Content Security Policy | Injected scripts or runtime access may be constrained. | Use diagnostics and browser console evidence to triage. |
| Dynamic states | Only the current state is scanned. | Exercise menus, dialogs, errors, validation, and authenticated flows manually. |
| Complex visual rendering | Canvas, video, gradients, images, overlays, and CSS effects can reduce contrast certainty. | Use manual visual testing and tooling as needed. |
Support diagnostics
- Extension version and package source.
- Browser version and operating system.
- Page type, route, authentication state, and whether the page is restricted.
- Steps to reproduce from a fresh tab.
- Diagnostics export if safe to share.
- Expected and actual behaviour.