Use semantic list elements

SkillMedia

semantic-lists is a skill for AI agents that reviews rendered HTML, interactive components, and design-system patterns related to use semantic list elements. It guides the agent to check native semantics first, then inspect keyboard behavior, focus flow, accessible names, and screen-reader output where relevant, so lists on a web page are marked up and accessible correctly.

Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.

Have an AI agent that can load skills.

Then ask your AI: use the Use semantic list elements skill

What your AI can do with it

  • Reviews rendered HTML for proper semantic list markup
  • Checks interactive components and design-system patterns for list semantics
  • Inspects keyboard behavior of list-based components
  • Evaluates focus flow across list items
  • Verifies accessible names where relevant
  • Checks screen-reader output for list content

Getting started

  1. Have an AI agent that can load skills.
  2. Add the semantic-lists skill to the agent's available skills.
  3. Ask the agent to review a rendered page, component, or design-system pattern that involves lists.
  4. The agent will check native semantics first, then keyboard behavior, focus flow, accessible names, and screen-reader output where relevant.

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by thedaviddias/front-end-checklist in skills/semantic-lists/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Screen readers announce list structure and item count—'list with 5 items'—helping users understand content organization. Styled divs provide no context.

Quick Reference

  • Use for unordered lists (navigation, features, bullets)
  • Use for ordered sequences (steps, rankings, instructions)
  • Use <dl> for term-definition pairs (glossaries, FAQs)
  • Screen readers announce 'list with X items' for proper lists

Check

Identify groups of related items (navigation menus, product features, steps) and verify they use ul, ol, or dl elements rather than divs or spans styled to look like lists.

Fix

Wrap related items in appropriate list elements: ul for unordered lists, ol for numbered sequences, dl for term-definition pairs. Use li for list items and proper dt/dd for definition lists.

Explain

Explain how screen readers announce 'list with X items' to help users understand content structure, and why styled divs provide no semantic information about grouped content.

Code Review

Review the rendered markup and interactive states that affect Use semantic list elements. Flag exact elements, roles, labels, focus behavior, or keyboard interactions that violate the rule, and note how to verify the fix with browser accessibility tooling or assistive tech.


For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance, see references/rule.md.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/en/rules/accessibility/semantic-lists

Signals

GitHub stars
74k
Forks
7k
Last commit
Aug 2026

Questions

When should this skill be used?
Use it when reviewing rendered HTML, interactive components, or design-system patterns related to semantic list elements.
What does the agent check first?
It checks native semantics first, then moves on to keyboard behavior, focus flow, accessible names, and screen-reader output where relevant.
Does it test screen readers directly?
It inspects screen-reader output where relevant as part of the review; the item does not describe direct screen-reader testing.
Advanced
Item type
skill
Key
semantic-lists
Source
github.com/thedaviddias/front-end-checklist