Accessible front-end development
Accessible front ends meet WCAG 2.2 AA and can be used entirely by keyboard and screen reader.
Background
Accessible front-end development means your website works fully by keyboard and screen reader and meets WCAG 2.2 AA. For many companies, this has been a legal requirement since 28 June 2025. In Germany, the European Accessibility Act is implemented through the BFSG. It covers digital services for consumers, including online shops, booking flows and customer accounts. Market surveillance authorities in the German states can raise objections and impose fines. Public bodies are bound by the BITV 2.0, Germany's accessibility regulation for public-sector IT.
In practice, the benchmark is EN 301 549, a standard that refers to WCAG 2.1 AA. We develop to WCAG 2.2 AA, which also covers the newer criteria. Accessibility makes a site easier for everyone to use. Search engines can read the content more easily, too.
What we implement
Semantic HTML: correctly structured headings, landmarks, lists and forms
Keyboard operation: logical focus order, visible focus and no keyboard traps
Targeted ARIA: for dialogues, menus and accordions, following the ARIA Authoring Practices
Contrast and readability: at least 4.5:1 for body text, with content that reflows at up to 400% zoom
Forms: visible labels, clear error messages and no cues conveyed by colour alone
Media: alt text, captions for video and transcripts for audio
Motion: animations respect the ‘Reduce motion’ system setting
New in WCAG 2.2
Among other additions, version 2.2 sets a minimum target size of 24 × 24 pixels. Keyboard focus must not be hidden behind other elements. Dragging needs an alternative that works with simple clicks. Log-in steps must not require users to remember or calculate anything. Our components and design system account for these criteria from the start.
Approach
Accessibility is planned in from the design stage. That costs far less than rebuilding later. Every component is tested automatically with axe and Lighthouse. Automated tests only catch some of the errors, though. So we also test by hand with a keyboard, VoiceOver and NVDA.
For existing websites, we produce a WCAG audit report with prioritised actions. If you need it, we help you write your accessibility statement. Your editorial team gets training so that new content stays accessible.
Effort and evidence
The effort depends mainly on whether accessibility is planned in from the start or retrofitted. In a redesign, it can be achieved without much extra effort. For an existing website, the audit report shows whether fixing or rebuilding makes more economic sense. The results are documented so you can present them to market surveillance authorities and customers.