Public documentation
WCAG mapping
How A11Y Cat assigns WCAG-related evidence without claiming conformance certification.
Compliance boundary
A11Y Cat does not certify WCAG compliance. It reports findings that may map to WCAG criteria where automated evidence exists or where a review item is relevant. A page can pass automated checks and still fail WCAG after manual testing.
Default WCAG-tagged axe profile
The documented default axe-core profile runs rules tagged with wcag2a, wcag2aa, wcag21a, wcag21aa, wcag22a, and wcag22aa. These tags indicate automated rule coverage, not complete WCAG coverage.
Mapping sources
- axe-core tags provide mapping for axe findings.
- Custom checks may map to WCAG where the implementation declares a relevant criterion.
- Advisory checks can use indirect or not-applicable mapping.
- Spelling and metadata are advisory and are not direct WCAG failures.
- Language generic-subtag advice is advisory unless actual language evidence supports a criterion failure.
- Contrast confirmed findings require axe-core confirmation or strict custom reliability gates.
Criteria examples
| Feature or finding | Possible WCAG relation | Confirmed or review? |
|---|---|---|
| Missing accessible name | 4.1.2 or 2.4.6 depending on context | Confirmed if axe/custom evidence is deterministic. |
| Missing alt text | 1.1.1 | Confirmed if deterministic; quality of alt text can still need review. |
| Contrast failure | 1.4.3 and sometimes 1.4.11 as review context | Confirmed for axe-core violations or strict custom evidence; complex visual cases remain review/unable. |
| Language of page | 3.1.1 | Confirmed for missing/invalid lang; advisory or review for generic/mixed evidence. |
| Link purpose | 2.4.4 | Often review because context matters. |
| Metadata or Open Graph | Not direct WCAG | Advisory. |
| Spelling | Not direct WCAG | Advisory or review support. |
What mapping does not mean
- It does not mean legal compliance.
- It does not mean full conformance.
- It does not mean a human verified the issue.
- It does not mean all criteria were tested.
- It does not mean hidden, delayed, authenticated, responsive, modal, or interaction-dependent states were covered.