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cadguide.tools

Posted on Originally published at a11ykit.site

15 Free Client-Side Accessibility Tools That Never Upload Your Code

#webdev #a11y #javascript #frontend

As web developers preparing for the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and WCAG 2.2 requirements, ensuring our web applications are fully accessible has become non-negotiable.

However, nearly all mainstream accessibility scanners require uploading entire HTML trees, private staging URLs, or component source code to their cloud servers. For engineers working with proprietary code, confidential client portals, or intranet systems, that presents a massive compliance and privacy risk.

To solve this, I built A11yKit — a completely free, open-source collection of 15 accessibility tools that run 100% in your browser.

🛠️ What's Inside A11yKit?

Everything runs locally via client-side algorithms and axe-core, meaning zero data ever leaves your machine:

  1. 🎨 Contrast Checker (WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA + APCA): Test text and background pairs with automated smart suggestions for the nearest passing hue.
  2. 🌈 Color Blind Simulator: Instant preview under 8 color vision deficiencies with Daltonize color correction algorithms.
  3. 🏷️ ARIA Pattern Generator: Copy-paste production-ready accessible markup for accordions, modals, tabs, dropdowns, and comboboxes.
  4. 🔍 In-Browser URL Scanner: Audit any public web page against WCAG 2.2 criteria with plain-English fix recommendations.
  5. ✅ Interactive WCAG 2.2 Checklist: Filterable checklist mapped directly to official W3C success criteria.
  6. 📄 Accessibility Statement Generator: Pre-built compliant templates ready for EAA filing.
  7. 🖼️ AI Alt Text Generator: Batch-generate descriptive image alt text locally or using your own API keys.

📊 Top 50 Sites Web Accessibility Audit

We also ran an automated compliance audit across 52 of the world's most visited websites (including WebMD, Zoom, Reddit, and GitHub) and published our findings in the Top Sites Accessibility Report.

Key Takeaways:

  • 70+ total WCAG AA violations were detected across high-traffic platforms.
  • Low-contrast text and missing form labels remain the two most common failures.
  • Only 18 out of 52 sites passed clean on their landing pages.

🔗 Try It Out

Feedback and PRs are warmly welcomed! How does your team handle local accessibility checks? Let's discuss in the comments below. 👇

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