In HTML, the accessible name of an element refers to the text that is used to describe an element to users of assistive technologies such as screen readers.
This is an essential aspect of web accessibility, as it allows users with disabilities to understand the purpose and function of an element on a webpage. In this blog post, we will explore some of the methods you can use to find an element's accessible name in HTML.
The first method is to check the element's "alt" attribute. The "alt" attribute is commonly used to provide alternative text for images and other non-text elements. In most cases, the text in the "alt" attribute will be used as the element's accessible name by assistive technologies. For example, an image with an "alt" attribute of "A picture of a cat" would be read as "A picture of a cat" by a screen reader.
The second method is to check for an "aria-label" or "aria-labelledby" attribute. The "aria-label" attribute is used to provide an accessible name for an element, and the "aria-labelledby" attribute is used to reference an element that provides the accessible name. For example, the following code would provide an accessible name of "search" for a search button:
<button aria-label="search"></button>
The third method is to check for an "id" attribute. The "id" attribute can be used to create a unique identifier for an element, which can be referenced by other elements to provide an accessible name. For example, the following code would provide an accessible name of "main-content" for a heading:
<h1 id="main-content">Main Content</h1>
Another method is to check for the inner text of an element, the inner text of an element can be used as the accessible name, especially for text elements such as headings and paragraphs. For example, the following code would provide an accessible name of "Main Content" for a heading:
<h1>Main Content</h1>
It's also important to note that when an element does not have an accessible name, an assistive technology will use the inner text of the element as the accessible name. However, this should be avoided as it can lead to confusion for users who rely on assistive technologies, and it can also lead to a poor user experience.
In conclusion, when it comes to finding an element's accessible name in HTML, there are several methods you can use. It's important to use the appropriate method for the element in question and to ensure that the accessible name accurately and succinctly describes the element's purpose and function. This will help ensure that your website or web application is fully accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.