Limitations¶
Source intelligence improves developer workflow but cannot replace manual accessibility review.
Automated testing limits¶
Browser audits reflect rendered DOM at audit time. They do not fully simulate all assistive technologies or every user interaction path.
Source mapping uncertainty¶
| Condition | Typical outcome |
|---|---|
| Production minified assets | Weak or unmapped |
| Client-only components | Candidate may point to wrapper, not leaf |
| Third-party widgets | May map to integration boundary only |
| Multiple matching components | ambiguous status with ranked candidates |
Never treat likely source as proof of compliance or exact blame without verification.
Recommendations are guidance¶
Recommendations:
- do not apply patches
- may require design or content decisions
- include manual verification steps for subjective rules (contrast, visual design)
Framework coverage¶
Mappers exist for html, react, next, vue, nuxt, angular. Other detected frameworks may audit successfully with limited or no mapping.
Heuristic and profile findings¶
Keyboard, large-text, and reduced-motion profiles add a11yst-owned rules. Recommendations and mapping coverage differ from core axe-sourced rules.
When mapping is disabled¶
sourceAnalysis: { enabled: false },
Findings still include severity, evidence, and reports — without mapping or recommendations.