Avoid using deprecated ARIA roles

Rule Details

As the WAI-ARIA specification evolves, some roles are deprecated in favor of more precise or better-supported alternatives. Using modern roles ensures your application remains accessible for years to come.

Code Example

<!-- ✅ Correct: Use modern roles or native elements -->
<nav aria-label="Site">...</nav>
<ul role="list">...</ul>
 
<!-- ❌ Incorrect: Using deprecated roles -->
<div role="directory">...</div>

Why It Matters

• Future-Proofing: Keeps the application compatible with evolving browser and assistive technology (AT) standards.
• Reliability: Ensures consistent interpretation of element roles across all platforms and devices.
• Semantic Accuracy: Modern roles often provide more precise meaning than older, deprecated ones, leading to a better user experience.
• Cleaner Code: Often, a deprecated role can be replaced by a native HTML element (like <nav> instead of role="navigation"), which is the preferred approach.

Exceptions

• Prefer native HTML semantics over ARIA when both are possible; some apparent ARIA failures disappear when the underlying element is corrected.
• A missing ARIA attribute is not automatically the strongest finding if the control is already semantically broken, unnamed, or keyboard-inaccessible.
• Do not add ARIA only to satisfy the rule if the feature should instead be implemented with a native element or a simpler interaction pattern.

Standards

• Align the implementation with WAI-ARIA 1.2 and verify the rendered experience, not only the source code.
• Align the implementation with MDN: ARIA and verify the rendered experience, not only the source code.

Verification

Automated Checks

• Inspect the browser accessibility tree or accessibility pane for the relevant element, role, or accessible name.
• Run an automated accessibility checker such as axe or Lighthouse where applicable.

Manual Checks

• Test the affected UI with keyboard-only navigation and confirm the rule holds in the rendered experience.
• Re-test one representative user flow with a screen reader if this rule affects a key interaction.