ARIA roles, states, and properties enhance web accessibility for dynamic content. Roles define what an element is, such as role="button" for custom buttons or role="navigation" for landmark sections. States like aria-expanded="true" indicate dynamic conditions, while properties like aria-label provide static attributes. ARIA should be used when custom UIs go beyond standard HTML elements, but native HTML should be prioritized. Testing with screen readers, avoiding unnecessary duplication, and ensuring keyboard support are essential best practices.
ARIA roles, states, and properties are part of the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) specification. They help make dynamic web content and complex user interface components accessible to people using assistive technologies like screen readers. In short: if you're building something interactive on the web that isn't a standard HTML element (like a custom dropdown or tab panel), ARIA helps you describe what it is and how it behaves.
Roles define what an element is
Think of roles as labels for elements. HTML has built-in semantics — for example, a <button></button> is already recognized as a button by screen readers. But when you’re using a <div> or <code><span></span> to create something like a button or menu, browsers and screen readers don’t know what it is unless you tell them.
- Use
role="button"to tell assistive tech that this element should be treated like a button. - Use
role="navigation"to mark a section as a navigation landmark. - Some roles are landmarks, others are widgets, and some are abstract (not meant to be used directly).
You can think of roles as the starting point — they say, “This thing here? It’s a menu,” or “This is a dialog box.”
States and properties describe how an element behaves or looks
Once you’ve told the browser what something is (using a role), you need to explain more about its current condition or expected behavior.
-
States are things that change dynamically. For example:
-
aria-expanded="true"tells users if a collapsible section is open or closed. -
aria-checked="false"might indicate a checkbox that's not checked.
-
-
Properties are more static attributes:
-
aria-required="true"says a field must be filled out. -
aria-labelgives an element an accessible name when there’s no visible label.
-
These aren’t just extra info — they help screen reader users understand what’s going on without seeing the visual cues sighted users rely on.
When and why you should use ARIA
ARIA is powerful, but it’s also easy to misuse. The rule of thumb is: use native HTML whenever possible. If there’s a standard element that does what you need (like <button></button>, <input>, or <details></details>), use that instead of adding ARIA to a <div>.<p>But sometimes you need to build something custom:</p>
<ul>
<li>A custom dropdown that behaves differently than a standard <code><select></select>
In those cases, ARIA helps bridge the accessibility gap. Just remember:
- Always test with a screen reader
- Don’t duplicate existing semantics unnecessarily
- Keep your ARIA simple and meaningful
A few common mistakes to avoid
-
Using
role="button"on something that doesn’t act like a button — it should respond to both click and keyboard events. - Forgetting keyboard support — even with ARIA, you still need to manage focus and key interactions.
- Overloading elements with too many ARIA attributes — keep it clean and only add what’s necessary.
Also, some ARIA roles imply certain required properties. For example, a role="grid" expects rows and cells inside it. Make sure you follow the pattern.
That’s the basic idea behind ARIA roles, states, and properties. It’s not always obvious when you need them, but once you start building custom UIs, they become essential tools for making sure everyone can use your site.
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