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Implement WCAG 2.2 accessibility patterns in Shopify Liquid themes. Covers e-commerce-specific components including product cards, carousels, cart drawers,…
Accessibility for Shopify Liquid Themes
Core Principle
Every interactive component must work with keyboard only, screen readers, and reduced-motion preferences. Start with semantic HTML — add ARIA only when native semantics are insufficient.
Decision Table: Which Pattern?
Component
HTML Element
ARIA Pattern
Reference
Expandable content
<details>/<summary>
None needed
Accordion
Modal/dialog
<dialog>
aria-modal="true"
Modal
Tooltip/popup
[popover] attribute
role="tooltip" fallback
Tooltip
Dropdown menu
<nav> + <ul>
aria-expanded on triggers
Navigation
Tab interface
<div>
role="tablist/tab/tabpanel"
Tabs
Carousel/slider
<div>
role="region" + aria-roledescription
Carousel
Product card
<article>
aria-labelledby
Product card
Form
<form>
aria-invalid, aria-describedby
Forms
Cart drawer
<dialog>
Focus trap
Cart drawer
Price display
<span>
aria-label for context
Prices
Filters
<form> + <fieldset>
aria-expanded for disclosures
Filters
Page Structure
Landmarks
<body>
<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">{{ 'accessibility.skip_to_content' | t }}</a>
<header role="banner">
<nav aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.main_navigation' | t }}">...</nav>
</header>
<main id="main-content">
<!-- All page content inside main -->
</main>
<footer role="contentinfo">
<nav aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.footer_navigation' | t }}">...</nav>
</footer>
</body>
Single <header>, <main>, <footer> per page
Multiple <nav> elements must have distinct aria-label
All content must live inside a landmark
Skip Link
.skip-link {
position: absolute;
inset-inline-start: -999px;
z-index: 999;
}
.skip-link:focus {
position: fixed;
inset-block-start: 0;
inset-inline-start: 0;
padding: 1rem;
background: var(--color-background);
color: var(--color-foreground);
}
Headings
One <h1> per page, never skip levels (h1 → h3)
Use real heading elements, not styled divs
Template: <h1> is typically the page/product title
Focus Management
Focus Indicators
/* All interactive elements */
:focus-visible {
outline: 2px solid rgb(var(--color-focus));
outline-offset: 2px;
}
/* High contrast mode */
@media (forced-colors: active) {
:focus-visible {
outline: 3px solid LinkText;
}
}
Minimum 3:1 contrast ratio for focus indicators
Use :focus-visible (not :focus) to avoid showing on click
Never outline: none without a visible replacement
Focus Trapping (Modals/Drawers)
Trap focus inside modals, drawers, and dialogs
Return focus to trigger element on close
First focusable element gets focus on open
Query all focusable elements: a[href], button:not([disabled]), input:not([disabled]), select, textarea, [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])
See focus and keyboard patterns for full FocusTrap implementation.
Component Patterns
Product Card
<article class="product-card" aria-labelledby="ProductTitle-{{ product.id }}">
<a href="{{ product.url }}" class="product-card__link" aria-labelledby="ProductTitle-{{ product.id }}">
<img
src="{{ product.featured_image | image_url: width: 400 }}"
alt="{{ product.featured_image.alt | escape }}"
loading="lazy"
width="{{ product.featured_image.width }}"
height="{{ product.featured_image.height }}"
>
</a>
<h3 id="ProductTitle-{{ product.id }}">
<a href="{{ product.url }}">{{ product.title }}</a>
</h3>
<div class="product-card__price" aria-label="{{ 'products.price_label' | t: price: product.price | money }}">
{{ product.price | money }}
</div>
<button
class="product-card__quick-add"
tabindex="-1"
aria-label="{{ 'products.quick_add' | t: title: product.title }}"
>
{{ 'products.add_to_cart' | t }}
</button>
</article>
Rules:
Single tab stop per card (the main link)
tabindex="-1" on mouse-only shortcuts (quick add)
aria-labelledby on <article> pointing to the title
Descriptive alt text on images; empty alt="" if decorative
Carousel
<div
role="region"
aria-roledescription="carousel"
aria-label="{{ section.settings.heading | escape }}"
>
<div class="carousel__controls">
<button
aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.previous_slide' | t }}"
aria-controls="CarouselSlides-{{ section.id }}"
>{% render 'icon-chevron-left' %}</button>
<button
aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.next_slide' | t }}"
aria-controls="CarouselSlides-{{ section.id }}"
>{% render 'icon-chevron-right' %}</button>
<button
aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.pause_slideshow' | t }}"
aria-pressed="false"
>{% render 'icon-pause' %}</button>
</div>
<div id="CarouselSlides-{{ section.id }}" aria-live="polite">
{% for slide in section.blocks %}
<div
role="group"
aria-roledescription="slide"
aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.slide_n_of_total' | t: n: forloop.index, total: forloop.length }}"
{% unless forloop.first %}aria-hidden="true"{% endunless %}
>
{{ slide.settings.content }}
</div>
{% endfor %}
</div>
</div>
Rules:
Auto-rotation minimum 5 seconds, pause on hover/focus
Play/pause button required for auto-rotating carousels
aria-live="polite" on slide container (set to "off" during auto-rotation)
aria-hidden="true" on inactive slides
Each slide: role="group" + aria-roledescription="slide"
Modal
<dialog
id="Modal-{{ section.id }}"
aria-labelledby="ModalTitle-{{ section.id }}"
aria-modal="true"
>
<div class="modal__header">
<h2 id="ModalTitle-{{ section.id }}">{{ title }}</h2>
<button
type="button"
aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.close' | t }}"
on:click="/closeModal"
>{% render 'icon-close' %}</button>
</div>
<div class="modal__content">
<!-- Content -->
</div>
</dialog>
Rules:
Use native <dialog> element
aria-labelledby pointing to the title
Close on Escape key (native with <dialog>)
Focus first interactive element on open
Return focus to trigger on close
Cart Drawer
Same as modal pattern but with additional:
Live region for cart count updates: <span aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true">
Clear "remove item" buttons with aria-label="{{ 'cart.remove_item' | t: title: item.title }}"
Quantity inputs with associated labels
Forms
<form action="{{ routes.cart_url }}" method="post">
<div class="form__field">
<label for="Email-{{ section.id }}">{{ 'forms.email' | t }}</label>
<input
type="email"
id="Email-{{ section.id }}"
name="email"
required
aria-required="true"
autocomplete="email"
aria-describedby="EmailError-{{ section.id }}"
>
<p
id="EmailError-{{ section.id }}"
class="form__error"
role="alert"
hidden
>{{ 'forms.email_required' | t }}</p>
</div>
</form>
Rules:
Every input has a visible <label> with matching for/id
Use <fieldset>/<legend> for radio/checkbox groups
Error messages: role="alert" + aria-describedby linking to input
aria-invalid="true" on invalid inputs
autocomplete attributes on common fields
Required fields: required + aria-required="true" + visual indicator
Product Filters
<form class="facets">
<div class="facets__group">
<button
type="button"
aria-expanded="false"
aria-controls="FilterColor-{{ section.id }}"
>{{ 'filters.color' | t }}</button>
<fieldset id="FilterColor-{{ section.id }}" hidden>
<legend class="visually-hidden">{{ 'filters.filter_by_color' | t }}</legend>
{% for color in colors %}
<label>
<input type="checkbox" name="filter.color" value="{{ color }}">
{{ color }}
</label>
{% endfor %}
</fieldset>
</div>
<div aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true">
{{ 'filters.results_count' | t: count: results.size }}
</div>
</form>
Price Display
{% if product.compare_at_price > product.price %}
<div class="price" aria-label="{{ 'products.sale_price_label' | t: sale_price: product.price | money, original_price: product.compare_at_price | money }}">
<s aria-hidden="true">{{ product.compare_at_price | money }}</s>
<span>{{ product.price | money }}</span>
</div>
{% else %}
<div class="price">{{ product.price | money }}</div>
{% endif %}
Use aria-label to provide full price context (sale vs. original)
aria-hidden="true" on the visual strikethrough to avoid duplicate reading
Accordion
<details>
<summary>{{ block.settings.heading }}</summary>
<div class="accordion__content">
{{ block.settings.content }}
</div>
</details>
Native <details>/<summary> provides keyboard and screen reader support automatically.
Tabs
<div role="tablist" aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.product_tabs' | t }}">
{% for tab in tabs %}
<button
role="tab"
id="Tab-{{ tab.id }}"
aria-selected="{% if forloop.first %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}"
aria-controls="Panel-{{ tab.id }}"
tabindex="{% if forloop.first %}0{% else %}-1{% endif %}"
>{{ tab.title }}</button>
{% endfor %}
</div>
{% for tab in tabs %}
<div
role="tabpanel"
id="Panel-{{ tab.id }}"
aria-labelledby="Tab-{{ tab.id }}"
{% unless forloop.first %}hidden{% endunless %}
tabindex="0"
>{{ tab.content }}</div>
{% endfor %}
Arrow keys navigate between tabs (left/right)
Only active tab has tabindex="0", others -1
Dropdown Navigation
<nav aria-label="{{ 'accessibility.main_navigation' | t }}">
<ul role="list">
{% for link in linklists.main-menu.links %}
<li>
{% if link.links.size > 0 %}
<button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="Submenu-{{ forloop.index }}">
{{ link.title }}
</button>
<ul id="Submenu-{{ forloop.index }}" hidden role="list">
{% for child in link.links %}
<li><a href="{{ child.url }}">{{ child.title }}</a></li>
{% endfor %}
</ul>
{% else %}
<a href="{{ link.url }}">{{ link.title }}</a>
{% endif %}
</li>
{% endfor %}
</ul>
</nav>
Tooltip
<button aria-describedby="Tooltip-{{ block.id }}">
{{ 'labels.info' | t }}
</button>
<div id="Tooltip-{{ block.id }}" role="tooltip" popover>
{{ block.settings.tooltip_text }}
</div>
Mobile Accessibility
Touch targets: minimum 44x44px, 8px spacing between targets
No orientation lock: never restrict to portrait/landscape
No hover-only content: everything accessible via tap
Use dvh instead of vh for mobile viewport units
Animation & Motion
/* Always provide reduced motion */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
*, *::before, *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
scroll-behavior: auto !important;
}
}
No flashing above 3 times per second
Auto-playing animations need pause/stop controls
Meaningful animations only — don't animate for decoration
Visually Hidden Utility
.visually-hidden {
position: absolute;
width: 1px;
height: 1px;
padding: 0;
margin: -1px;
overflow: hidden;
clip: rect(0, 0, 0, 0);
white-space: nowrap;
border: 0;
}
Use for screen-reader-only content like labels and descriptions.
Color Contrast
Element
Minimum Ratio
Normal text (<18px / <14px bold)
4.5:1
Large text (≥18px / ≥14px bold)
3:1
UI components & graphics
3:1
Focus indicators
3:1
Never rely solely on color to convey information — always pair with text, icons, or patterns.
References
Component accessibility patterns
Focus and keyboard patternsdon't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.