Next.js: The React Framework with Native Accessibility Advantages
Next.js offers native accessibility benefits through server-side rendering (SSR), static generation (SSG), and optimized components (Image, Link).
Image Component
next/image shows ESLint warnings for missing alt props (RGAA 1.1), supports empty alt for decorative images (RGAA 1.2), prevents layout shift with explicit dimensions, and provides blur placeholders during loading.
Link Component and Navigation
Since Next.js 13, Link renders a native HTML anchor tag. Focus management during client-side navigation must be handled manually by moving focus to main or h1 after route changes.
SSR Benefits
Server-side rendering delivers content without JavaScript, aligns SEO with accessibility, and provides fast First Contentful Paint. Watch for hydration issues where elements appear interactive before they are.
App Router
Shared layouts centralize landmarks, loading.tsx must be accessible (not just a spinner), error.tsx must present errors accessibly, and streaming with Suspense must announce loaded content.
Testing
Use next-axe, Playwright with @axe-core/playwright for SSR page testing, Lighthouse CI in pipelines, and @next/eslint-plugin-next for basic a11y rules.
Next.js provides solid accessibility foundations through SSR and optimized components. But like any React framework, final accessibility depends on developer choices.