Header landmark - Web accessibility testing checklist

How to test a header landmark

Gherkin Condensed

Given that I am on a screen with a header landmark

1 Keyboard only

When I use the tab key to move focus to a control in the header I SEE focus moves to the control (but the header landmark itself does not receive focus)

2 Desktop screenreader

WHEN I use a desktop screenreader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) AND I use landmark shortcuts
- I HEAR it is discoverable as a banner landmark
- I HEAR it has no name, only a role because there should be only one
When I use the tab key to move focus to a control in the header I HEAR focus moves to the control (but the header landmark itself does not receive focus)

3 Mobile screenreader

WHEN I use a screenreader AND I landmark shortcuts
- I HEAR it is discoverable as a banner landmark
- I HEAR it has no name, only a role because there should be only one
Or when I swipe to move focus to a control in the header I HEAR focus moves to the control (but the header itself does not receive focus)

1 Keyboard & screen reader actions

When I use	I see/hear
Landmark shortcuts	It can be discovered, understood and skipped to
Tab	Focus moves to controls inside the landmark (but the landmark itself does not receive focus)

2 Mobile screenreader gestures

When I use	I hear
Landmark shortcuts	It can be discovered, understood and skipped to
Swipe	Focus moves to controls inside the landmark (but the landmark itself does not receive focus)

3 Screenreader output

Reads	I hear
Role	It is discoverable as a banner landmark
Name	It has no name, only a role because there should be only one

General notes

There must only be a one singular header/banner element on the page.
Contains site title and typically the primary navigation.

Code examples

Use semantic HTML

This semantic HTML contains all accessibility features by default.

<header id="example-header">
  <a href="#nav-example">Skip to navigation</a>
  <a href="#">Not the navigation</a>
  <nav tabindex="-1" class="nav-example" id="nav-example">
    <ul>
      <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
      <li><a href="/about/">About</a></li>
      <li><a href="/contact/">Contact</a></li>
      <li><button>Sign in</button></li>
    </ul>
  </nav>
</header>

Skip to navigation Not the navigation

When you can’t use semantic HTML

This custom header requires extra attributes.

<div role="banner" tabindex="-1" id="example-header">
  <a href="/">Website name</a>
</div>

Developer notes

Name

Typically doesn’t have a name or description since there must be only one instance per page

Role

Identifies itself as a header or banner landmark
If a non-semantic element must be used (like a <div>) use role="banner" to make the element discoverable.

Group

Contains site title and typically the primary navigation.

Focus

Can be targeted with a skip link, but the skip link will typically will be labelled “skip to navigation”
Use tabindex="-1" to make the header targetable with a skip link.
The <header> itself isn’t focusable with the tab key

Web Header landmark