Accessibility under WCAG 2.1

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, WCAG for short, are an international standard for accessible web design. Since June 2025, version 2.1 has been binding for business websites in the EU, introduced in Germany by the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (Accessibility Strengthening Act).

What accessible means

A website is accessible when people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments can use it. In practice this means: screen readers can read the content aloud, the site can be operated entirely by keyboard, contrast is sufficient and videos have subtitles.

The three conformance levels

Level A is the absolute minimum; if it is not met, whole groups of users are excluded. Level AA is the usual target and also the legal requirement in many EU countries. Level AAA is the ideal, but it cannot be fully achieved for many types of content, for example because AAA contrast ratios would severely restrict design freedom.

The four core principles

Perceivable: all information must be accessible through more than one sense, for example text alternatives for images. Operable: the site must work equally well by keyboard, touch and mouse. Understandable: the language must be clearly declared and input errors must be explained. Robust: the code must be compatible with current and future tools such as screen readers.

What bytebrise delivers as standard

A skip link at the top of the page for keyboard users. Semantic HTML with correct heading hierarchies, nav, main and footer. Alt text for every image that is not purely decorative. ARIA attributes where HTML semantics are not enough. Contrast ratios above the WCAG AA thresholds. Keyboard navigation for all interactive elements. Reduced animation with prefers-reduced-motion. All by default, at no extra cost.

Related terms

Title tag · Meta description · Schema.org