@axe-core/webdriverio

@axe-core/webdriverio

Provides a chainable axe API for WebdriverIO and automatically injects into all frames.

This package does not follow Semantic Versioning (SemVer) but instead uses the major and minor version (but not patch version) of axe-core that the package uses. For example, if the API version is v4.7.2, then the axe-core version used by the package will be v4.7.x. The patch version of this package may include bug fixes and new API features but will not introduce breaking changes.

Feature Deprecation Notice

Support for @wdio/sync is deprecated and testing for it will be removed in a future release.

WebDriver Bidi Support

We're aware of an issue that occurs when using WebdriverIO v9 and the WebDriver Bidi protocol. We're investigating this issue and plan to update the community more thoroughly in early 2025.

If you are encountering this issue and wish to share your experience please add to the GitHub issue.

Getting Started

Install Node.js if you haven't already.

Download and install any necessary browser drivers on your machine's PATH. More on WebdriverIO setup.

To install the latest version of Chromedriver globally, install browser-driver-manager: npm install -g browser-driver-manager. Then run npx browser-driver-manager install chrome.

Install WebdriverIO: npm install webdriverio

Install @axe-core/webdriverio: npm install @axe-core/webdriverio

Usage

This module uses a chainable API to assist in injecting, configuring, and analyzing axe with WebdriverIO. As such, it is required to pass an instance of WebdriverIO.

Here is an example of a script that will drive WebdriverIO to a page, perform an analysis, and then log results to the console.

const { AxeBuilder } = require('@axe-core/webdriverio');
const { remote } = require('webdriverio');

(async () => {
  const client = await remote({
    logLevel: 'error',
    capabilities: {
      browserName: 'chrome',
      'goog:chromeOptions': {
        args: ['headless', 'disable-gpu']
      }
    }
  });
  await client.url('https://dequeuniversity.com/demo/mars/');

  try {
    const results = await new AxeBuilder({ client }).analyze();
    console.log(results);
  } catch (e) {
    // do something with the error
  }

  client.deleteSession();
})();

AxeBuilder#analyze(): Promise<axe.Results | Error>

Performs analysis and passes any encountered error and/or the result object.

new AxeBuilder({ client }).analyze((err, results) => {
  if (err) {
    // Do something with error
  }
  console.log(results);
});

new AxeBuilder({ client })
  .analyze()
  .then(results => {
    console.log(results);
  })
  .catch(e => {
    // Do something with error
  });

AxeBuilder({ client: WebdriverIO.BrowserObject })

Constructor for the AxeBuilder helper. You must pass an instance of WebdriverIO as the first argument.

const builder = new AxeBuilder({ client });

AxeBuilder#include(selector: String)

Adds a CSS selector to the list of elements to include in analysis

new AxeBuilder({ client }).include('.results-panel');

AxeBuilder#exclude(selector: String)

Add a CSS selector to the list of elements to exclude from analysis

new AxeBuilder({ client }).exclude('.another-element');

AxeBuilder#options(options: axe.RunOptions)

Specifies options to be used by axe.run. Will override any other configured options. including calls to AxeBuilder#withRules() and AxeBuilder#withTags(). See axe-core API documentation for information on its structure.

new AxeBuilder({ client }).options({ checks: { 'valid-lang': ['orcish'] } });

AxeBuilder#withRules(rules: String|Array)

Limits analysis to only those with the specified rule IDs. Accepts a String of a single rule ID or an Array of multiple rule IDs. Subsequent calls to AxeBuilder#options, AxeBuilder#withRules or AxeBuilder#withRules will override specified options.

new AxeBuilder({ client }).withRules('html-lang');

new AxeBuilder({ client }).withRules(['html-lang', 'image-alt']);

AxeBuilder#withTags(tags: String|Array)

Limits analysis to only those with the specified rule IDs. Accepts a String of a single tag or an Array of multiple tags. Subsequent calls to AxeBuilder#options, AxeBuilder#withRules or AxeBuilder#withRules will override specified options.

new AxeBuilder({ client }).withTags('wcag2a');

new AxeBuilder({ client }).withTags(['wcag2a', 'wcag2aa']);

AxeBuilder#disableRules(rules: String|Array)

Skips verification of the rules provided. Accepts a String of a single rule ID or an Array of multiple rule IDs. Subsequent calls to AxeBuilder#options, AxeBuilder#disableRules will override specified options.

new AxeBuilder({ client }).disableRules('color-contrast');

AxeBuilder#setLegacyMode(legacyMode: boolean = true)

Set the frame testing method to "legacy mode". In this mode, axe will not open a blank page in which to aggregate its results. This can be used in an environment where opening a blank page is causes issues.

With legacy mode turned on, axe will fall back to its test solution prior to the 4.3 release, but with cross-origin frame testing disabled. The frame-tested rule will report which frames were untested.

Important Use of .setLegacyMode() is a last resort. If you find there is no other solution, please report this as an issue.

const axe = new AxeBuilder({ client }).setLegacyMode();
const result = await axe.analyze();
axe.setLegacyMode(false); // Disables legacy mode

Shadow DOM support

@axe-core/webdriverio is unable to support iframes in shadow DOM elements due to lack of shadow DOM support in webdriverio devtools protocol.