/accessibility

name: accessibility
description: >
  Audits or remediates Flutter widgets against WCAG 2.2 conformance levels A, AA, or AAA
  across iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows, and Linux, covering Semantics labels and screen
  reader output under VoiceOver and TalkBack, touch target sizes, dragging alternatives, focus
  order and keyboard navigation, color contrast, text scaling, animation gating on
  disableAnimations, and form autofillHints, including the test suite that locks every fix in.
  Use when building, auditing, or reviewing Flutter widgets for accessibility on one or
  several of those platforms.
effort: medium
argument-hint: "[wcag-level] [platform...]"
allowed-tools: Read Glob Grep

Accessibility

Flutter accessibility auditing and remediation across WCAG 2.2 conformance levels A, AA, and AAA. This file is the workflow; the reference files listed under **Additional Resources** are loaded on demand, and each phase below names the one it needs.

Load only the file the current phase names.

---

Core Standards

Apply these standards to all accessibility work:

**Conformance Level** — Begin every audit by asking which WCAG 2.2 conformance level the project targets (A, AA, AA + selected AAA, or AAA). Never assume AA.

**Platform Selection** — Begin every audit by asking which of the six platforms are targeted (iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows, Linux). Apply the platform rules from the matching file(s) in `references/platforms/`.

**Image Semantics** (WCAG 1.1.1) — Every `Image` must have `semanticLabel`, or be wrapped in `Semantics(label:)`. Decorative images use `excludeFromSemantics: true`.

**Gesture Detector** (WCAG 2.1.1) — Never use bare `GestureDetector` for tap targets. Use `InkWell`, `ElevatedButton`, `TextButton`, or `IconButton`. `GestureDetector` is pointer-only and unreachable via keyboard or switch access.

**Target Size** (WCAG 2.5.8) — Target Size Minimum is 24x24 CSS px (≈ 24 dp) at AA. The VGV recommended minimum is 48x48 dp. Findings between 24 dp and 48 dp are flagged as VGV-style at AA, and as WCAG findings at AAA via 2.5.5 (44 dp).

**Drag Alternatives** (WCAG 2.5.7) — Every dragging-based function must offer a non-drag alternative on the same screen. Sliders need keyboard or stepper alternatives. `Dismissible` needs an explicit delete button. `ReorderableListView` needs up/down or "move to" controls.

**Focus Not Obscured** (WCAG 2.4.11) — A focused widget must not be entirely obscured by sticky headers, snackbars, bottom sheets, persistent FABs, or overlays. Use `Scrollable.ensureVisible` and `Scaffold.resizeToAvoidBottomInset: true`.

**Color Differentiation** (WCAG 1.4.1) — Never use color as the sole differentiator. Always pair color with a label, icon, or shape.

**Animation and Motion** (WCAG 2.3.3) — All animations must respect `MediaQuery.disableAnimations`. Gate every `AnimationController`, `AnimatedContainer`, `Hero` transition, and `PageRouteBuilder` transition on this flag.

**Icon Buttons** (WCAG 4.1.2) — Icon-only buttons must have a `Tooltip` or `Semantics(label:)`. Screen readers have no other way to convey purpose.

**Exclude Semantics** (WCAG 1.1.1) — Never use `ExcludeSemantics` on non-decorative content. It strips its whole subtree from the semantics tree, so any button or other control inside it disappears from TalkBack and VoiceOver and its action becomes unreachable for screen reader users. State that consequence when declining a request to wrap actionable content. To stop a screen reader from stopping on every child, use `MergeSemantics` around the static label and value pair only, leaving interactive siblings outside it so they stay independently focusable.

**Text Containers** (WCAG 1.4.4) — Fixed-height containers must not wrap `Text`. Use `minHeight` constraints. Fixed heights clip text at 1.5x font scale on Android, sooner on iOS where Larger Accessibility Sizes go to ~3.1x.

**Contrast** (WCAG 1.4.3) — All text and UI components must meet the contrast ratio for the selected WCAG level. See [`references/wcag-criteria.md`](references/wcag-criteria.md).

**Cupertino Semantics** (WCAG 4.1.2) — Cupertino widgets (`CupertinoSwitch`, `CupertinoSlider`, `CupertinoSegmentedControl`, `CupertinoButton`) ship with weaker semantic defaults than their Material equivalents. Always wrap them in `Semantics(label:, value:, button:)`.

**Autofill Hints** (WCAG 1.3.5) — Every `TextField` collecting structured personal data (email, username, password, name, address, phone, oneTimeCode) must declare `autofillHints`. Required for 1.3.5 at AA and the foundation for 3.3.7 Redundant Entry at A.

**Finding Format** — Every audit finding carries the WCAG criterion ID together with that criterion's name (`2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)`, never a bare `2.5.8`), a severity of exactly CRITICAL, MAJOR, or MINOR in upper case, and the fix as before-and-after Dart code. Never grade severity as High/Medium/Low or Serious/Moderate/Minor. Never ship a finding whose fix is prose only.

**Async Announcements** (WCAG 4.1.3) — Every async user-visible state change must announce itself via `Semantics(liveRegion: true)` or `SemanticsService.announce`.

---

Workflow

Every accessibility engagement follows four phases in sequence. Do not skip Phase 1 or Phase 2.

> **Cross-harness note.** Phases 1, 2, and 4 below use `AskUserQuestion`. On a host without it, invoke whatever equivalent user-question tool the host provides; if it has none, ask the same question as plain numbered text. Either way, wait for the reply before proceeding.

Phase 1: Conformance Level Selection

Use `AskUserQuestion` to ask:

question: "Which WCAG 2.2 conformance level are you targeting?"
header: "WCAG level"
options:
  - label: "A"
    description: "Removes the most critical barriers. Includes the new 2.2 criteria 3.2.6 Consistent Help and 3.3.7 Redundant Entry."
  - label: "AA"
    description: "Standard most regulators require. Adds contrast, resize text, focus visible, plus th