Skip to content
Logo mtc Berlin - Zur Startseite Logo mtc Berlin - Zur Startseite

axe DevTools

axe DevTools - Automated Testing in the Browser

axe DevTools is a widely used tool for automated testing of web content for accessibility. It is based on the axe-Core library from Deque Systems and is available as an extension for Chrome, Firefox, as well as a component of professional developer toolkits.

Use Cases

  • Quick testing of individual pages for WCAG violations
  • Integration into DevTools for immediate analysis in context
  • Use in local development processes

Strengths

  • Very good detection of technical barriers such as missing labels, contrast issues, landmark problems
  • Easy-to-understand results presentation with suggestions for remediation
  • Free in the basic version
  • Solid developer documentation and API

Limitations

  • Does not detect content-related or context-dependent issues
  • No automatic evaluation of keyboard operability or screen reader output
  • Results should always be supplemented by manual tests

Example of a Typical Application

  1. Open website in Chrome
  2. Activate axe DevTools in the developer tools (tab “axe DevTools”)
  3. Start scan
  4. Read results, sort (by severity), implement solutions

Use in Combination

  • With tools like WAVE or Accessibility Insights for different perspectives
  • Complementary to manual tests (keyboard, screen reader)
  • Documentation of results e.g., with gooda11y or in the project tool

Conclusion: axe DevTools is a powerful analysis tool for the early phase of accessibility testing. It supports developers with concrete suggestions and can be easily integrated into existing workflows. However, for complete audits, combining it with other testing methods is essential.