axe-core - Quick Reference

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Manual WCAG compliance audits - Use the wcag skill for understanding guidelines and manual testing
• Screen reader testing - axe-core doesn't replace manual screen reader verification
• Complex ARIA pattern implementation - Use wcag skill for ARIA authoring practices
• Accessibility strategy planning - This is for test automation, not accessibility consulting

Deep Knowledge: Use mcp__documentation__fetch_docs with technology: axe-core for comprehensive documentation on rules, configuration, and integrations.

Setup Base

npm install -D @axe-core/react  # For React
npm install -D axe-core         # Core library

Pattern Essenziali

React DevTools Integration

import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';

if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
  import('@axe-core/react').then(axe => {
    axe.default(React, ReactDOM, 1000);
  });
}

Jest/Vitest Integration

import { axe, toHaveNoViolations } from 'jest-axe';

expect.extend(toHaveNoViolations);

test('should have no accessibility violations', async () => {
  const { container } = render(<MyComponent />);
  const results = await axe(container);
  expect(results).toHaveNoViolations();
});

Playwright Integration

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import AxeBuilder from '@axe-core/playwright';

test('should not have accessibility issues', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('/');

  const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page }).analyze();

  expect(accessibilityScanResults.violations).toEqual([]);
});

// With specific rules
test('should pass WCAG AA', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('/');

  const results = await new AxeBuilder({ page })
    .withTags(['wcag2a', 'wcag2aa'])
    .analyze();

  expect(results.violations).toEqual([]);
});

Cypress Integration

// cypress/support/commands.ts
import 'cypress-axe';

// In test
describe('Accessibility', () => {
  it('has no violations', () => {
    cy.visit('/');
    cy.injectAxe();
    cy.checkA11y();
  });
});

Programmatic Usage

import axe from 'axe-core';

async function checkAccessibility() {
  const results = await axe.run();

  if (results.violations.length > 0) {
    console.log('Violations:', results.violations);
  }
}

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Why It's Wrong	Correct Approach
Running axe on empty/loading states	Tests incomplete DOM, false negatives	Wait for content to load before running axe
Ignoring all violations	Defeats purpose of automated testing	Fix violations or document exceptions with reasoning
Testing only homepage	Most accessibility issues in complex interactions	Test all critical user flows and components
Not configuring WCAG level	Tests against all rules, may be too strict	Set withTags(['wcag2a', 'wcag2aa']) for target level
Running axe synchronously in loops	Slow test execution	Use Promise.all() for parallel execution
Committing violations to CI	Prevents catching regressions	Fail builds on new violations
Testing hidden/inactive components	Axe tests invisible elements unnecessarily	Use exclude parameter for hidden sections
No baseline for legacy code	All violations block progress	Create baseline, track improvements incrementally

Quick Troubleshooting

Issue	Diagnosis	Solution
axe finds no violations but page is inaccessible	Automated tools catch only ~30-40% of issues	Supplement with manual keyboard and screen reader testing
"No violations" but form has issues	axe doesn't test form logic/flow	Test form submission, error handling manually
Timeout in Playwright axe tests	Large/complex page takes too long	Increase timeout or analyze specific regions
False positive on custom component	axe rule doesn't understand pattern	Use disableRules or add proper ARIA to fix
Violations in third-party widgets	Can't modify external code	Document exceptions, contact vendor, or replace widget
Different results in different browsers	Browser-specific rendering differences	Run axe in multiple browsers, use cross-browser test suite
CI fails but local passes	Environment differences (timing, content)	Ensure consistent test data and wait conditions
Too many violations to fix at once	Legacy codebase with extensive issues	Create baseline, use --save flag to track improvements