What This Does

This is an ESLint plugin that helps you write more accessible web interfaces. Specifically, it checks your React code (written in JSX) as you're developing and alerts you to common accessibility problems before they reach your users. Think of it as a spell-checker for accessibility: it spots mistakes in real time while you're coding, so you can fix them immediately instead of discovering them later.

How It Works

The plugin analyzes your code's structure looking for patterns that cause accessibility issues. For example, it checks that images have alt text for screen readers, that interactive buttons can be controlled with a keyboard (not just a mouse), that form labels are properly connected to their inputs, and that your HTML uses proper semantic tags. It comes with dozens of built-in rules covering ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, color contrast concerns, and other accessibility standards. You configure which rules matter for your project, and the linter runs on every file you save.

Who Uses This and Why

Developers building React applications use this plugin to make their sites usable by people with disabilities—those who use screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, or other assistive technology. A product manager might care about this because inaccessible sites exclude users and create legal liability. A startup could integrate it into their development workflow to ensure accessibility standards are baked in from day one rather than bolted on as an afterthought. The README notes this works best alongside runtime accessibility testing, since static analysis can only catch what it can see in the code itself.

The plugin is popular enough to be included by default in some widely-used ESLint configurations, which suggests it's become a standard part of professional JavaScript development.