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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
56
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
7
PASS
1
INFO
0
Checks
13
1 PASS 7 REVIEW 5 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
2 icon(s) detected
FIX
2 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
F
Web Manifest
Action
Invalid JSON
FIX
Invalid JSON
Warning::
Manifest contains invalid JSON
Manifest at https://hackmd.io/manifest.json contains invalid JSON. Browsers cannot parse it.
Got: https://hackmd.io/manifest.json

Manifest contains invalid JSON.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 1 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Landmark Structure
3 landmarks
REVIEW
3 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
No banner (header) landmark
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER (missing!) NAV MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

B
Heading Hierarchy
15 headings, 2 skip(s)
REVIEW
15 headings, 2 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H3 → H6 (missing H4)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H4 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H3 Real-time collaboration for teampersonaltechnicalresearcheducationalweb3community documentation in Markdown
  • H6 HackMD is my go-to thinkpad. It's been a great fit for everything from TODO lists to Ethereum devnet specs, drafting blog posts and all types of internal org docs. It's a simple yet versatile product skipped
  • H2 Accelerate innovation, foster community, and supercharge collaboration with your go-to Markdown editor.
  • H3 Docs
  • H3 Templates
  • H3 Book Mode
  • H3 GitHub Integration
  • H3 UML graphs
  • H3 Profile
  • H2 Millions build with HackMD's Markdown editor every day
  • H3 HackMD's simple interface allows novice members to get started quickly.
  • H1 Join a global movement
  • H4 Learning skipped
  • H4 Resources
  • H4 Company

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

B
Alt Text Quality
42 of 72 images have issues
REVIEW
42 of 72 images have issues
Warning::
42 image(s) with filename as alt text
Info::
30 image(s) with good alt text
72 images 30 good alt text 42 generic
IssueCount
filename42 image(s)
B
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title 404 Not Found - HackMD ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
B
Dark Mode Support
Dark mode detected
REVIEW
Dark mode detected
Info::
prefers-color-scheme CSS detected in inline styles
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark Mode✓ Dark Mode Supported
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Detected ✓

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 20 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

0 pass 20 fail WCAG AA
h1 Join a global movement
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · bottom of viewport
h2 Accelerate innovation, foster community,…
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Millions build with HackMD's Markdown ed…
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h3 Real-time collaboration for
1.29:1
#000000
on
#211C3B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · above the fold
h3 documentation in Markdown
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181D
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · mid-page
h3 Docs
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Templates
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Book Mode
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 GitHub Integration
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 UML graphs
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Profile
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 HackMD's simple interface allows novice …
1.19:1
#000000
on
#18181B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
title HackMD: Your Collaborative Markdown Work…
1.17:1
#000000
on
#17171B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Solutions
1.17:1
#000000
on
#17171B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Pricing
1.17:1
#000000
on
#17171A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Enterprise
1.17:1
#000000
on
#17171A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Developers
1.17:1
#000000
on
#17171A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
span About
1.18:1
#000000
on
#18171C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
span Learn
1.23:1
#000000
on
#1B1A2A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
span Blog
1.24:1
#000000
on
#1C1A2D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Join a global moveme…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h2 Accelerate innovatio…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h2 Millions build with …1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 Real-time collaborat…1.29:13.0:1
#000000
#211C3B
Fail
h3 documentation in Mar…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181D
Fail
h3 Docs1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 Templates1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 Book Mode1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 GitHub Integration1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 UML graphs1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 Profile1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
h3 HackMD's simple inte…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#18181B
Fail
title HackMD: Your Collabo…1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#17171B
Fail
span Solutions1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#17171B
Fail
span Pricing1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#17171A
Fail
span Enterprise1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#17171A
Fail
span Developers1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#17171A
Fail
span About1.18:14.5:1
#000000
#18171C
Fail
span Learn1.23:14.5:1
#000000
#1B1A2A
Fail
span Blog1.24:14.5:1
#000000
#1C1A2D
Fail

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 82/100 — 5 failing, 23 passed
REVIEW
82

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
main.flex > nav.flex > form.flex > button.flex-row main.flex > nav.flex > form.flex > button.flex-row
section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex
section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex
section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex
section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex section.mt-12 > div.flex > a > button.flex

Form elements without effective labels can create frustrating experiences for screen reader users. Learn more about the `select` element.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
English 中文 日本語 section.mt-12 > div > label.relative > select.w-full

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a
div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a
div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a
div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a div > section.mt-12 > div.flex > a

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Learning section.flex > ul.flex > li.min-w-40 > h4.mb-6
Resources section.flex > ul.flex > li.min-w-40 > h4.mb-6
Company section.flex > ul.flex > li.min-w-40 > h4.mb-6

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
HackMD is my go-to thinkpad. It's been a great fit for everything from TODO lis… main.flex > div.m-6 > span.relative > h6.text-h6
Learning section.flex > ul.flex > li.min-w-40 > h4.mb-6

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Skip links are focusable.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
A
Form Accessibility
1 of 2 controls have issues
PASS
1 of 2 controls have issues
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="email">
Info::
1 control(s) properly labeled
2 controls
1 labeled
1 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
selectselectnone
inputemail(you@company.com)placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="email">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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