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How a developer should read WCAG
A humble guide through the standard reference for web accessibility.
Why WCAG is hard to read
WCAG isn’t known for its readability.
When I first got into accessibility, I tried reading it. Several naps and coffees later, I gave up. That’s because I was trying to read it like I tried to learn programming languages or markup languages.
And why wouldn’t I? I’m a self-taught developer. If I can learn C on my own, I can certainly tackle accessibility, right?
If you’re a developer trying to dive into the world of web accessibility, or you’re trying to provide more accessible content, you’ll likely go to WCAG hoping it’s like any other tutorial or guide.
Spoiler: It’s not.
It can be a hard read, not because it’s complicated — but because it’s terribly abstract and vague. You have to dig to find examples, and the terminology is just… ugh.
That’s because WCAG is not centered around markup, styles, or scripts — it’s centered around principles. Once you understand that, it become easier.
When I was first learning about web development, I used a book. Do you think I read the first few chapters on the history of the web, how a web server…
