# Website Accessibility (WCAG) Scanner (`second_coming/wcag-scanner`) Actor
Scan websites for WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance issues. Checks images, forms, headings, links, iframes, tables, ARIA roles, and more for accessibility violations.
- **URL**: https://apify.com/second\_coming/wcag-scanner.md
- **Developed by:** [Richard P](https://apify.com/second_coming) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
Pay per usage
This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## How to integrate an Actor?
If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md):
```bash
npm install apify-client
```
In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md):
```bash
pip install apify-client
```
In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):
````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash
In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md).
If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
## Website Accessibility (WCAG) Scanner
[](https://apify.com/)
A serverless **WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance scanner** built as an [Apify Actor](https://apify.com/actors). It analyzes web pages for common accessibility issues, helping you ensure your websites are usable by people with disabilities.
### Features
- **10+ WCAG compliance checks** covering:
- **Images**: Missing or non-descriptive alt text (WCAG 1.1.1)
- **Forms**: Inputs without accessible labels (WCAG 1.3.1)
- **Page Language**: Missing `lang` attribute on `` (WCAG 3.1.1)
- **Heading Hierarchy**: Skipped heading levels (WCAG 1.3.1)
- **Links**: Empty or vague link text (WCAG 2.4.4)
- **iFrames**: Missing or insufficient `title` attributes (WCAG 4.1.2)
- **Tables**: Missing headers or captions (WCAG 1.3.1)
- **Media**: Missing captions/transcripts (WCAG 1.2.2)
- **ARIA Roles**: Invalid or misspelled ARIA roles (WCAG 4.1.2)
- **Color Contrast**: Informational note (requires visual testing)
- **Severity classification**: Each issue is tagged as `critical`, `warning`, or `info`
- **Accessibility scoring**: Each page receives a percentage score (0–100)
- **Multi-page crawling**: Automatically discovers and scans internal links
- **WCAG conformance levels**: Target A, AA, or AAA
- **Structured JSON output**: Each issue includes type, severity, WCAG criterion reference, element snippet, and remediation recommendation
- **Webhook notifications**: Receive scan results via POST webhook
### Input
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `urls` | `array[string]` | ✅ | — | One or more URLs to scan |
| `level` | `string` | ❌ | `"AA"` | WCAG conformance level (`"A"`, `"AA"`, `"AAA"`) |
| `maxPages` | `int` | ❌ | `10` | Max pages to scan per seed URL (crawls internal links) |
| `webhookUrl` | `string` | ❌ | — | URL for POST notification on scan completion |
### Output
Each page scan produces a dataset record with:
| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `timestamp` | `string` | ISO 8601 scan timestamp |
| `url` | `string` | Scanned URL |
| `totalIssues` | `int` | Total issues found (all severities) |
| `criticalIssues` | `int` | Count of critical-severity issues |
| `score` | `number` | Accessibility score (0–100) |
| `issues` | `array` | Array of individual issue objects |
Each issue object contains:
| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `type` | Machine-readable issue identifier |
| `severity` | `critical`, `warning`, or `info` |
| `element` | HTML snippet of the affected element |
| `wcagCriterion` | WCAG criterion reference (e.g., `"1.1.1"`) |
| `recommendation` | Human-readable remediation advice |
A final summary record is appended with aggregate statistics across all scanned pages.
### Quick Start (Local)
```bash
## Install dependencies
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
## Run locally (requires Apify API token)
apify run --purge
## Or set explicit input
echo '{"urls":["https://example.com"],"level":"AA","maxPages":5}' > INPUT.json
apify run --purge
````
### Deploy to Apify
```bash
apify login
apify push
```
### Example Output
```json
{
"timestamp": "2026-07-04T12:00:00.000000+00:00",
"url": "https://example.com",
"totalIssues": 3,
"criticalIssues": 2,
"score": 57.1,
"issues": [
{
"type": "missing_alt",
"severity": "critical",
"element": "![](\"logo.png\"/)
",
"wcagCriterion": "1.1.1",
"recommendation": "Add an alt attribute..."
},
{
"type": "missing_lang",
"severity": "warning",
"element": "",
"wcagCriterion": "3.1.1",
"recommendation": "Add a lang attribute..."
}
]
}
```
### WCAG Criteria Checked
| Criterion | Description | Severity if Violated |
|-----------|-------------|---------------------|
| [1.1.1](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/non-text-content) | Non-text Content | Critical |
| [1.2.2](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/captions-prerecorded) | Captions (Prerecorded) | Info |
| [1.3.1](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/info-and-relationships) | Info and Relationships | Critical/Warning |
| [1.4.3](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/contrast-minimum) | Contrast (Minimum) | Info (not checkable server-side) |
| [2.4.4](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/link-purpose-in-context) | Link Purpose (In Context) | Critical/Warning |
| [3.1.1](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/language-of-page) | Language of Page | Warning |
| [4.1.2](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/name-role-value) | Name, Role, Value | Warning |
### Limitations
- **Color contrast** cannot be checked server-side — use browser-based tools (axe DevTools, Lighthouse, Wave) for visual contrast analysis
- **Dynamic content** rendered by JavaScript may not be fully captured — consider a headless browser for Single Page Applications
- **Server-side checks are a first pass** — they catch common issues but don't replace manual accessibility auditing
### Resources
- [WCAG 2.1 Overview](https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/)
- [WebAIM Million Report](https://webaim.org/projects/million/)
- [axe DevTools](https://www.deque.com/axe/)
- [Lighthouse Accessibility](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/accessibility/)
# Actor input Schema
## `urls` (type: `array`):
One or more URLs of websites to check for WCAG accessibility compliance.
## `level` (type: `string`):
The WCAG conformance level to check against.
## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):
Maximum number of pages to scan per URL (crawls internal links).
## `webhookUrl` (type: `string`):
URL to receive a POST notification with results when scanning completes.
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"urls": [
"https://example.com"
],
"level": "AA",
"maxPages": 10
}
```
# Actor output Schema
## `results` (type: `string`):
No description
# API
You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.
## JavaScript example
```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';
// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"urls": [
"https://example.com"
]
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("second_coming/wcag-scanner").call(input);
// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
console.dir(item);
});
// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs
```
## Python example
```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "urls": ["https://example.com"] }
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("second_coming/wcag-scanner").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"urls": [
"https://example.com"
]
}' |
apify call second_coming/wcag-scanner --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=second_coming/wcag-scanner",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
```json
{
"openapi": "3.0.1",
"info": {
"title": "Website Accessibility (WCAG) Scanner",
"description": "Scan websites for WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance issues. Checks images, forms, headings, links, iframes, tables, ARIA roles, and more for accessibility violations.",
"version": "0.0",
"x-build-id": "HnoLC0pYiS0iqKJ8K"
},
"servers": [
{
"url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
}
],
"paths": {
"/acts/second_coming~wcag-scanner/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-second_coming-wcag-scanner",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
},
"/acts/second_coming~wcag-scanner/runs": {
"post": {
"operationId": "runs-sync-second_coming-wcag-scanner",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK",
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
}
}
}
}
}
}
},
"/acts/second_coming~wcag-scanner/run-sync": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-second_coming-wcag-scanner",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
}
},
"components": {
"schemas": {
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"required": [
"urls"
],
"properties": {
"urls": {
"title": "URLs to scan",
"type": "array",
"description": "One or more URLs of websites to check for WCAG accessibility compliance.",
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"level": {
"title": "WCAG conformance level",
"enum": [
"A",
"AA",
"AAA"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "The WCAG conformance level to check against.",
"default": "AA"
},
"maxPages": {
"title": "Maximum pages per URL",
"type": "integer",
"description": "Maximum number of pages to scan per URL (crawls internal links).",
"default": 10
},
"webhookUrl": {
"title": "Webhook URL (optional)",
"type": "string",
"description": "URL to receive a POST notification with results when scanning completes."
}
}
},
"runsResponseSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"data": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"id": {
"type": "string"
},
"actId": {
"type": "string"
},
"userId": {
"type": "string"
},
"startedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"finishedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"status": {
"type": "string",
"example": "READY"
},
"meta": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"origin": {
"type": "string",
"example": "API"
},
"userAgent": {
"type": "string"
}
}
},
"stats": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"inputBodyLen": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2000
},
"rebootCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"restartCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"resurrectCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"computeUnits": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"options": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"build": {
"type": "string",
"example": "latest"
},
"timeoutSecs": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 300
},
"memoryMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1024
},
"diskMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2048
}
}
},
"buildId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultDatasetId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultRequestQueueId": {
"type": "string"
},
"buildNumber": {
"type": "string",
"example": "1.0.0"
},
"containerUrl": {
"type": "string"
},
"usage": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"usageTotalUsd": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"usageUsd": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
```