Not everyone uses a mouse to explore a website. Good HTML must also make sense through a keyboard or screen reader.
What You Need to Know
A modal dialog interrupts the page to ask for a focused action. Visitors need a readable name, a way to close it, and sensible keyboard focus. Native dialog behavior can help, but the surrounding interaction still needs testing.
In this example: open a dialog and close it with Escape.
Try the Example
Take a look at the example. We’ll explain the important lines right below it.
<button id="open-dialog" type="button">Open instructions</button>
<dialog id="instructions-dialog" aria-labelledby="dialog-title">
<h2 id="dialog-title">Before you continue</h2>
<p>Check your answers.</p>
<form method="dialog"><button type="submit">Close</button></form>
</dialog>
<script>
document.querySelector("#open-dialog").addEventListener("click", () => {
document.querySelector("#instructions-dialog").showModal();
});
</script>Let’s Read the Code
- <button>: The button offers an action; its type or command determines what happens.
- <dialog>: Dialog provides a browser-managed dialog container; modal display may need showModal or a supported command.
- id: An id uniquely identifies an element on this page.
- type: Type changes what sort of control or resource the browser uses.
Read the named elements and attributes together. They explain how the browser connects this feature to the rest of the page.
What Happens in the Browser?
Try this with Tab and Shift+Tab. If you can, inspect the accessibility tree too; appearance alone does not tell the whole story.
What does assistive technology receive? The example includes aria-labelledby. These relationships can explain names, states, or descriptions when used correctly. They do not automatically move focus, listen for clicks, or create keyboard handling.
Your Turn
Use Tab and Shift+Tab to visit the controls, then read their labels aloud. Is the purpose of each one clear?
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Judging the page only by how it looks, without checking its meaning and keyboard behavior.
- ARIA changes what assistive technology is told; it does not automatically add keyboard controls, visual styling, or JavaScript behavior.
Key Takeaways
- A modal dialog interrupts the page to ask for a focused action.
- <button>: The button offers an action; its type or command determines what happens.
- A meaningful HTML element is usually a stronger starting point than adding an ARIA role to a generic div. Also check what happens using only the keyboard.