Tables
Data cells must be explicitly associated with header cells for data tables, and descriptive table captions and summaries may be provided where appropriate.
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Data cells must be explicitly associated with header cells for data tables, and descriptive table captions and summaries may be provided where appropriate.
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Topic
Technique
WCAG AA Requirement
Table Headers
Header tag: Table headers MUST be designated with <th>.
Required
Meaningful header: Data table header text MUST accurately describe the category of the corresponding data cells.
Required
Header and data cell associations: Table data cells MUST be associated with their corresponding header cells.
Note: Use of scope (<th scope="col"> and <th scope="row">) is highly recommended, though not always necessary (i.e. if all cells in the first row are marked as <th> without scope, most modern screen readers will infer that the scope is the column below each header cell).
Required
Group header associations: Table data group headers (if any) MUST be associated with their corresponding data cell groups (e.g. via scope="rowgroup" or scope="colgroup").
Required
Complex header associations: Header/data associations that cannot be designated with <th> and scope MUST be designated with the headers and id attributes.
Required
Nested or split tables: Data table headers and data associations MUST NOT be referenced across nested, merged, or separate tables.
Required
Tabular Data
Tables: Tabular data SHOULD be represented in a <table>.
Note: Even if the data are not represented in a table, requires the data to be associated with their labels.
best practice
Caption
Caption: Data tables SHOULD have a programmatically-associated <caption> or name (e.g. via aria-label or aria-labelledby).
Note: In most circumstances, <caption> is preferred, because it is the native method of giving a name to a table, and the <caption> is visible and available to all users by default.
best practice
Meaningful caption: The name or <caption> of a data table SHOULD describe the identity or purpose of the table accurately, meaningfully, and succinctly.
best practice
Unique caption: The name or <caption> of each data table SHOULD be unique within the context of other tables on the same page.
best practice
Layout Tables
Avoid layout tables: Tables SHOULD NOT be used for the purpose of purely visual (non-data) layout.
best practice
Avoid headers in layout tables: Layout tables MUST NOT contain headers.
best practice