The title attribute is an HTML attribute that provides additional information about an element. It is commonly used to provide hover text or tooltips for elements such as images, links, and buttons. While the title attribute is not directly related to web accessibility, it can be used to provide additional information to users who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers. In this blog post, we will explore how the title attribute is exposed to assistive technologies in HTML.
Screen readers
When an element with a title attribute is encountered by a screen reader, the text in the title attribute is typically announced as additional information about the element. For example, if an image has a title attribute of "A picture of a cat," a screen reader would announce "A picture of a cat" as additional information about the image. This can be useful for providing additional context or information about an element that is not immediately apparent from the element's visible content or label.
However, it's important to note that the title attribute should not be used as a replacement for proper semantic HTML and web accessibility practices. While the title attribute can provide additional information to users who rely on assistive technologies, it is not always exposed or announced by all assistive technologies, and it is not always used by users. Therefore, it should be used in addition to other accessibility features to provide a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience for all users.
ARIA attributes
In some cases, the title attribute can be used in combination with other accessibility features, such as ARIA attributes, to provide more information to assistive technologies. For example, the "aria-label" attribute can be used to provide an accessible name for an element, while the title attribute can be used to provide additional information.
It's also important to note that the title attribute is not always suitable for providing information to users who rely on assistive technologies. For example, the title attribute is not exposed to users who navigate the web using keyboard shortcuts alone and not using a mouse. In these cases, alternative methods such as ARIA attributes should be used to provide information.
In conclusion, the title attribute is an HTML attribute that can be used to provide additional information about an element to users who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers. However, it should not be used as a replacement for proper semantic HTML and web accessibility practices, and it should be used in combination with other accessibility features to provide a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience for all users. It's important to consider the context and the audience, and use appropriate method to provide information to all users.