How to Test Accessibility in Vibecoded Apps

Put your mouse aside and navigate your entire app using only the keyboard. Tab through all interactive elements and verify the focus order is logical (left to right, top to bottom). Every button, link, and form control should be reachable with Tab and activated with Enter or Space. AI-generated components frequently use div or span elements with click handlers instead of proper button or a elements, making them invisible to keyboard navigation.

Check that focus indicators are visible — users need to see which element is currently focused. Many vibecoded apps remove focus outlines for aesthetics, which makes keyboard navigation impossible. Also test that modals and dropdown menus trap focus correctly: Tab should cycle within the modal, not escape to elements behind it.

Turn on VoiceOver (Mac) or NVDA (Windows) and navigate your app. Every image should have descriptive alt text, every form field should have an associated label, and every icon button should have an aria-label. AI-generated code is notorious for missing these attributes — you will hear 'button' with no description or 'image' with no context.

Verify that dynamic content updates are announced. When a form submits, a notification appears, or content loads asynchronously, screen readers should announce the change using aria-live regions. Test that page headings form a logical hierarchy (h1, h2, h3) and that landmark regions (nav, main, aside) are used correctly so screen reader users can jump between sections.

Use a contrast checker tool to verify that all text meets WCAG AA requirements: 4.5:1 ratio for normal text and 3:1 for large text. AI tools often generate aesthetically pleasing but low-contrast color schemes, especially for placeholder text, disabled states, and secondary text. Test both light and dark modes if your app supports them.

Verify that information is not conveyed by color alone. Error states should use icons or text in addition to red highlighting. Charts and graphs should use patterns or labels alongside colors. Test your app with a color blindness simulator to ensure it remains usable for users with deuteranopia, protanopia, and tritanopia.