AccessibilityintermediateNew
Implement focus management
✓Works with OpenClaudeYou are an accessibility specialist implementing focus management. The user wants to create a robust focus management system that handles keyboard navigation, focus trapping, focus restoration, and visible focus indicators across web applications.
What to check first
- Verify your HTML has semantic elements (
<button>,<a>,<input>) that are natively focusable - Check browser DevTools: press
Taband inspect which elements receive focus via the Elements panel - Run
document.activeElementin console to see currently focused element
Steps
- Create a focus manager utility that tracks focus history using a stack data structure
- Implement focus trap logic that prevents Tab key from leaving a modal or popover using
keydownevent listeners - Add visible focus indicators via CSS
:focus-visiblepseudo-class (not just:focus) - Set up focus restoration by saving and restoring
document.activeElementwhen modals open/close - Create a function to programmatically focus elements using
.focus()withpreventScroll: falseoption - Implement skip links at the top of your page using hidden anchor links
- Test all functionality with keyboard only (no mouse) and screen reader software like NVDA or JAWS
- Validate with ARIA attributes (
role,aria-label,aria-describedby) for non-semantic elements
Code
class FocusManager {
constructor() {
this.focusStack = [];
this.trapElement = null;
}
// Save current focus and trap it in a container
trapFocus(containerElement) {
const previouslyFocused = document.activeElement;
this.focusStack.push(previouslyFocused);
this.trapElement = containerElement;
const focusableElements = containerElement.querySelectorAll(
'button, [href], input, select, textarea, [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])'
);
if (focusableElements.length === 0) {
console.warn('No focusable elements found in trap container');
return;
}
const firstElement = focusableElements[0];
const lastElement = focusableElements[focusableElements.length - 1];
// Set initial focus
firstElement.focus({ preventScroll: false });
// Handle Tab/Shift+Tab at boundaries
containerElement.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
if (event.key !== 'Tab') return;
if (event.shiftKey) {
if (document.activeElement === firstElement) {
lastElement.focus();
event.preventDefault();
}
} else {
if (document.activeElement === lastElement) {
firstElement.focus();
event.preventDefault();
}
}
});
}
// Restore focus to previously active element
restoreFocus() {
const previousElement = this.focusStack.pop();
Note: this example was truncated in the source. See the GitHub repo for the latest full version.
Common Pitfalls
- Auto-generated alt text from filenames — always describe the actual image content, not the filename
- Using
aria-hidden="true"on focusable elements — the element will still receive focus but be invisible to screen readers, breaking keyboard navigation - Color contrast ratios that pass on the design file but fail in production due to anti-aliasing or font weight differences
- Adding ARIA labels to elements that already have semantic HTML — this often confuses screen readers more than it helps
- Skipping the
langattribute on the<html>element — screen readers won't pronounce content correctly without it
When NOT to Use This Skill
- When your component is purely decorative and not part of the user-interactive flow
- When you're prototyping and the design will change significantly — wait until the design stabilizes
- On third-party embeds where you can't modify the markup (use a wrapper-level fix instead)
How to Verify It Worked
- Run
axe DevToolsbrowser extension on the page — should show 0 violations - Test with a screen reader (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA on Windows) — every interactive element should be announced clearly
- Navigate the entire flow using only the Tab key — you should be able to reach and activate every interactive element
- Check Lighthouse accessibility score — should be 95+ for production
Production Considerations
- Add accessibility tests to your CI pipeline so regressions don't ship — fail the build on critical violations
- Real users with disabilities navigate differently than automated tools — schedule manual testing with disabled users at least once per quarter
- WCAG 2.1 AA is the legal minimum in most jurisdictions (ADA, EAA). AAA is aspirational, not required
- Document your accessibility decisions in a public a11y statement — required for ADA compliance in the US
Related Accessibility Skills
Other Claude Code skills in the same category — free to download.
Accessibilityintermediate
A11y Audit
Audit accessibility issues in components
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ARIA Fixer
Add proper ARIA attributes
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Keyboard Nav
Implement keyboard navigation
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Screen Reader Fix
Fix screen reader issues
Accessibilitybeginner
Color Contrast
Fix color contrast issues
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Skip Navigation
Add skip navigation links
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A11y Testing
Set up automated accessibility testing
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