Lighthouse

Lighthouse - Integrated Testing Tool for Web Quality

Lighthouse is an open-source tool from Google for automated quality testing of websites. It is directly integrated into Chrome developer tools and tests performance, SEO, best practices – and also accessibility. It is particularly suitable for quick initial analyses during development.

How It Works

Lighthouse conducts tests using its own set of heuristics, including:

Testing color contrasts
Alternative texts for images
Tab order and keyboard operability
ARIA roles and landmarks
Recognizable labels for form elements

The results are displayed in a structured report, with a score for the “Accessibility” category and specific suggestions for improvement.

Advantages

Direct integration into Chrome, no installation necessary
Fast execution and clear reports
Part of a comprehensive quality check (together with performance, SEO, etc.)
Free and open source

Limitations

Limited depth for more complex accessibility requirements
Does not detect semantic or context-related problems (e.g., unclear labels or incorrect focus management)
Not a comprehensive WCAG check, but only an approximation

Usage Recommendation

Lighthouse is excellent for initial checks during development – especially to quickly identify regressions. For complete WCAG tests, it should be combined with other tools and manual procedures.

Tip: Lighthouse can be used as a command-line tool (CLI) or via Chrome DevTools (“Lighthouse” tab). For automated tests, it can also be integrated into CI/CD processes.

Category: Automated Testing Tool