When building web components, it is recommended to use native HTML elements whenever possible. However, sometimes it is necessary to create custom components, and then it is essential that these components behave like their native equivalents, especially regarding accessibility.
For example, when creating a custom button, we must replicate the behavior of the native button element: indicate the corresponding accessible role, manage keyboard interaction with keys like Enter and Space, control focus and tabindex, and apply the same accessibility considerations expected from a native control.
In this guide, we will focus on how to build an accessible tab component. Since there is no specific native HTML element for tabs, it is essential to implement ARIA roles and behaviors so that the component is accessible to screen reader and keyboard users.
Prerequisites: basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and familiarity with ARIA.
A good practice before implementing a non-native UI pattern is to consult the ARIA Authoring Practices Guide (APG) and review the Tabs pattern. The APG describes the recommended roles and attributes and how the component should behave to be accessible.
Key roles and attributes according to APG: the tab container should be understood as a tablist; each tab as a tab; and each content panel as a tabpanel. Additionally, it is important to apply the appropriate ARIA attributes to link tabs and panels and to indicate the selected state.
Important attributes and how to represent them in accessible markup: aria-labelledby to label the tab list if it has a visible label, or aria-label if it does not. Each tab must include aria-selected equal to true or false to indicate whether it is active, tabindex equal to 0 for the active tab and tabindex equal to -1 for inactive ones to control focusability, and aria-controls pointing to the id of the associated panel. Each tabpanel must be focusable with tabindex equal to 0 and must include aria-labelledby pointing to the tab that controls it.
Recommended tab behaviors: automatic activation and manual activation. Automatic activation means that upon receiving focus, the tab is activated immediately and its associated panel is shown, which is usually the default option unless changing tabs causes content loading, layout changes, or delays. Manual activation requires pressing Space or Enter to activate the tab and is appropriate when selection needs confirmation or may trigger costly operations.
Accessibility features you must implement: control of the tabindex of the tabs to keep only one tab in the tab order, tabindex equal to 0 on the panel to allow moving focus to the content, keyboard navigation with left arrow and right arrow with looping behavior, Home and End keys to go to the first and last tab, and Space or Enter to activate a tab when appropriate. Additionally, the visual focus state must be clearly identifiable without relying solely on color, and the DOM order must match the visual order.
Detailed keyboard interactions: the Tab key should move focus to the active tab and from there to the next focusable element, which is usually the tabpanel or the first control within the panel. In the tab list, the left arrow moves focus to the previous tab with a loop to the last one, the right arrow moves to the next one with a loop to the first, Home goes to the first tab, and End to the last. Space or Enter activate the tab if it has not been activated automatically. Optionally, the Delete key can remove a tab and its associated panel in implementations that allow dynamic deletion.
Practical implementation: in a real example, styling utilities like Tailwind CSS can be used for design and TypeScript or JavaScript for interaction logic. The function responsible for activating the tab usually receives the index of the tab to activate and performs several key actions: update aria-selected to true on the active tab and to false on the others; update tabindex so that the active tab has tabindex equal to 0 and inactive ones tabindex equal to -1; toggle visual classes to mark the active tab and the visible panel; and manage focus by moving it to the activated tab or to the first interactive element within the panel.
Additional best practices: maintain logical focus that matches the visual order, avoid unexpected layout changes when switching tabs, and move focus to the panel or its first interactive control when a tab is activated to facilitate navigation for screen reader users.
In the implementation, it is recommended to test both activation modes and choose automatic activation by default unless there are latencies or reloads. It is also useful to provide clear messages and labels so that the relationship between tabs and panels is evident to assistive technology users.
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Conclusion: building an accessible tab component requires more than visual styling. It is necessary to replicate ARIA roles, manage attributes like aria-selected and tabindex, support keyboard navigation, and control focus and activation behavior. By following APG recommendations and testing with assistive technologies, you will achieve more inclusive components that improve the experience for all users.
If you want us to help you design and implement accessible components or any custom software solution with artificial intelligence and cybersecurity capabilities, contact Q2BSTUDIO for a personalized consultation.
