{
  "doc": {
    "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works",
    "title": "Cypress Accessibility | How it works",
    "description": "Accessibility checks are powered by Axe Core® from Deque Systems based on common accessibility standards.",
    "section": "accessibility",
    "source_path": "/llm/markdown/accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works.md",
    "version": "e6988a974973e9090ce70406c38cb2b9e0eac9fa",
    "updated_at": "2026-05-15T15:50:22.536Z",
    "headings": [
      {
        "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#how-it-works",
        "text": "How it works",
        "level": 1
      },
      {
        "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#about-axe-core",
        "text": "About Axe Core®",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#axe-core-updates",
        "text": "Axe Core® updates",
        "level": 2
      },
      {
        "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#powered-by-test-replay",
        "text": "Powered by Test Replay",
        "level": 2
      }
    ]
  },
  "chunks": [
    {
      "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#about-axe-core",
      "doc_id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works",
      "heading": "About Axe Core®",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "content_markdown": "## About Axe Core®\n\nAxe Core® is an open-source library by Deque Systems, widely recognized for detecting accessibility violations. With over a billion downloads on npm, it is used in numerous tools at multiple stages of the software development cycle. If you are already using other Axe Core®-based tools, Cypress Accessibility's configuration can be easily aligned with your existing accessibility standards across different teams and platforms.\n\nAxe Core® checks for accessibility violations in your website's user interface, based on common accessibility standards. A violation detected by Axe usually indicates that some users with disabilities would have a problem using or perceiving a feature. An example of a violation would be an image without alternative text provided in the markup, which means the content is not perceivable to visually-impaired users. [Learn more about Axe.](https://github.com/dequelabs/axe-core)\n\nWhile this process reaches a high standard for automated testing, it cannot test every possible aspect of compliance, especially for heavily custom interfaces or aspects requiring human judgment.\n\nThis means that a 100% axe score does not mean all possible accessibility errors have been ruled out. Deque reports that [Axe Core® can detect up to 57% of the issues that would appear in a manual accessibility audit](https://www.deque.com/blog/automated-testing-study-identifies-57-percent-of-digital-accessibility-issues/).\n\nThe value of this form of testing in Cypress Accessibility is to give you fast, reliable, easy-to-understand feedback about common accessibility mistakes that are found in most projects. Providing these results automatically as part of your test run means that you can find and fix these issues with minimal friction, shifting accessibility left in your software development lifecycle.\n",
      "section": "accessibility",
      "anchors": [
        "about-axe-core"
      ],
      "path": "/llm/json/chunked/accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works.json",
      "token_estimate": 344
    },
    {
      "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#axe-core-updates",
      "doc_id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works",
      "heading": "Axe Core® updates",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "content_markdown": "## Axe Core® updates\n\nAxe Core® is regularly updated, with Cypress following a controlled adoption process:\n\n*   Update Policy: Cypress Cloud integrates new Axe Core® versions at least 30 days after their release. This provides teams time to review the Axe Core® [changelog](https://github.com/dequelabs/axe-core/blob/develop/CHANGELOG.md) so you can make any necessary adjustments to your process in advance of Cypress Cloud bumping the version.\n*   Changelog Tracking: Updates are documented in the Cypress Accessibility [changelog](https://github.com/dequelabs/axe-core/blob/develop/CHANGELOG.md), starting December 1, 2024.\n*   Critical Exceptions: In cases like critical security patches, updates may occur sooner, with notifications provided to affected customers.\n",
      "section": "accessibility",
      "anchors": [
        "axe-core-updates"
      ],
      "path": "/llm/json/chunked/accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works.json",
      "token_estimate": 127
    },
    {
      "id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works#powered-by-test-replay",
      "doc_id": "accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works",
      "heading": "Powered by Test Replay",
      "heading_level": 2,
      "content_markdown": "## Powered by Test Replay\n\nCypress Accessibility leverages data captured through Test Replay, ensuring comprehensive analysis while being subject to its limitations. Read [How Test Replay Works](/llm/markdown/cloud/features/test-replay.md#How-Test-Replay-Works) to discover which data is captured and which browsers are supported.\n",
      "section": "accessibility",
      "anchors": [
        "powered-by-test-replay"
      ],
      "path": "/llm/json/chunked/accessibility/core-concepts/how-it-works.json",
      "token_estimate": 51
    }
  ]
}