Grid
An interactive 2D data grid with keyboard navigation, cell selection, and activation.
Demo
Navigate with arrow keys. Press Space to select cells. Press Enter to activate.
Grid vs Table
Use grid role for interactive data grids, and table role for static data
presentation.
| Feature | Grid | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Navigation | 2D (Arrow keys) | Table navigation (browser default) |
| Cell Focus | Required (roving tabindex) | Not required |
| Selection | aria-selected | Not supported |
| Use Case | Spreadsheet-like, data grids | Static data display |
Accessibility Features
Native HTML vs Grid Role
The grid role creates an interactive data grid with 2D keyboard navigation.
For static data tables, use native <table> elements instead. Use grid when:
- Cells are focusable and interactive (editable, selectable, or contain widgets)
- Static data display without interactivity
- Interface similar to spreadsheet or data grid
WAI-ARIA Roles
| Role | Target Element | Description |
|---|---|---|
grid | Container | The grid container (composite widget) |
row | Row container | Groups cells horizontally |
columnheader | Header cells | Column headers (not focusable in this implementation) |
rowheader | Row header cell | Row headers (optional) |
gridcell | Data cells | Interactive cells (focusable) |
WAI-ARIA grid role (opens in new tab)
WAI-ARIA Properties (Grid Container)
| Attribute | Values | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
role="grid" | - | Yes | Identifies the container as a grid |
aria-label | String | Yes* | Accessible name for the grid |
aria-labelledby | ID reference | Yes* | Alternative to aria-label |
aria-multiselectable | true | No | Only present for multi-select mode |
aria-rowcount | Number | No | Total rows (for virtualization) |
aria-colcount | Number | No | Total columns (for virtualization) |
* Either aria-label or aria-labelledby is required on the grid container.
WAI-ARIA States (Grid Cells)
| Attribute | Values | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
tabindex | 0 | -1 | Yes | Roving tabindex for focus management |
aria-selected | true | false | No* | Present when grid supports selection. When selection is supported, ALL gridcells should have aria-selected. |
aria-disabled | true | No* | Indicates the cell is disabled |
aria-rowindex | Number | No* | Row position (for virtualization) |
aria-colindex | Number | No* | Column position (for virtualization) |
* When selection is supported, ALL gridcells should have aria-selected.
Keyboard Support
2D Navigation
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| → | Move focus one cell right |
| ← | Move focus one cell left |
| ↓ | Move focus one row down |
| ↑ | Move focus one row up |
| Home | Move focus to first cell in row |
| End | Move focus to last cell in row |
| Ctrl + Home | Move focus to first cell in grid |
| Ctrl + End | Move focus to last cell in grid |
| PageDown | Move focus down by page size (default 5) |
| PageUp | Move focus up by page size (default 5) |
Selection & Activation
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Select/deselect focused cell (when selectable) |
| Enter | Activate focused cell (trigger onCellActivate) |
Focus Management
This component uses roving tabindex for focus management:
- Only one cell has tabindex="0" (the focused cell), all others have tabindex="-1"
- Grid is a single Tab stop (Tab enters grid, Shift+Tab exits)
- Header cells (columnheader) are NOT focusable (no sort functionality in this implementation)
- Only gridcells in the data rows are included in keyboard navigation
- Last focused cell is remembered when leaving and re-entering the grid
Disabled Cells
-
Have
aria-disabled="true" - Are focusable (included in keyboard navigation)
- Cannot be selected or activated
- Visually distinct (e.g., grayed out)
Source Code
---
// =============================================================================
// Types
// =============================================================================
export interface GridCellData {
id: string;
value: string | number;
disabled?: boolean;
colspan?: number;
rowspan?: number;
}
export interface GridColumnDef {
id: string;
header: string;
colspan?: number;
}
export interface GridRowData {
id: string;
cells: GridCellData[];
hasRowHeader?: boolean;
disabled?: boolean;
}
interface Props {
columns: GridColumnDef[];
rows: GridRowData[];
ariaLabel?: string;
ariaLabelledby?: string;
selectable?: boolean;
multiselectable?: boolean;
defaultSelectedIds?: string[];
defaultFocusedId?: string;
totalColumns?: number;
totalRows?: number;
startRowIndex?: number;
startColIndex?: number;
wrapNavigation?: boolean;
enablePageNavigation?: boolean;
pageSize?: number;
class?: string;
renderCell?: (cell: GridCellData, rowId: string, colId: string) => string;
}
// =============================================================================
// Props
// =============================================================================
const {
columns,
rows,
ariaLabel,
ariaLabelledby,
selectable = false,
multiselectable = false,
defaultSelectedIds = [],
defaultFocusedId,
totalColumns,
totalRows,
startRowIndex = 1,
startColIndex = 1,
wrapNavigation = false,
enablePageNavigation = false,
pageSize = 5,
class: className,
renderCell,
} = Astro.props;
// Determine initial focused cell
const initialFocusedId = defaultFocusedId ?? rows[0]?.cells[0]?.id ?? null;
---
<apg-grid
class={`apg-grid ${className ?? ''}`}
data-wrap-navigation={wrapNavigation}
data-enable-page-navigation={enablePageNavigation}
data-page-size={pageSize}
data-selectable={selectable}
data-multiselectable={multiselectable}
>
<div
role="grid"
aria-label={ariaLabel}
aria-labelledby={ariaLabelledby}
aria-multiselectable={multiselectable ? 'true' : undefined}
aria-rowcount={totalRows}
aria-colcount={totalColumns}
>
{/* Header Row */}
<div role="row" aria-rowindex={totalRows ? 1 : undefined}>
{
columns.map((col, colIndex) => (
<div
role="columnheader"
aria-colindex={totalColumns ? startColIndex + colIndex : undefined}
aria-colspan={col.colspan}
data-col-id={col.id}
>
{col.header}
</div>
))
}
</div>
{/* Data Rows */}
{
rows.map((row, rowIndex) => (
<div
role="row"
aria-rowindex={totalRows ? startRowIndex + rowIndex : undefined}
data-row-id={row.id}
>
{row.cells.map((cell, colIndex) => {
const isRowHeader = row.hasRowHeader && colIndex === 0;
const isFocused = cell.id === initialFocusedId;
const isSelected = defaultSelectedIds.includes(cell.id);
const colId = columns[colIndex]?.id ?? '';
return (
<div
role={isRowHeader ? 'rowheader' : 'gridcell'}
tabindex={isFocused ? 0 : -1}
aria-selected={selectable ? (isSelected ? 'true' : 'false') : undefined}
aria-disabled={cell.disabled ? 'true' : undefined}
aria-colindex={totalColumns ? startColIndex + colIndex : undefined}
aria-colspan={cell.colspan}
aria-rowspan={cell.rowspan}
data-cell-id={cell.id}
data-row-id={row.id}
data-col-id={colId}
data-row-index={rowIndex}
data-col-index={colIndex}
data-disabled={cell.disabled ? 'true' : undefined}
class={`apg-grid-cell ${isFocused ? 'focused' : ''} ${isSelected ? 'selected' : ''} ${cell.disabled ? 'disabled' : ''}`}
>
{renderCell ? <Fragment set:html={renderCell(cell, row.id, colId)} /> : cell.value}
</div>
);
})}
</div>
))
}
</div>
</apg-grid>
<script>
class ApgGrid extends HTMLElement {
private focusedId: string | null = null;
private selectedIds: Set<string> = new Set();
private wrapNavigation = false;
private enablePageNavigation = false;
private pageSize = 5;
private selectable = false;
private multiselectable = false;
connectedCallback() {
this.wrapNavigation = this.dataset.wrapNavigation === 'true';
this.enablePageNavigation = this.dataset.enablePageNavigation === 'true';
this.pageSize = parseInt(this.dataset.pageSize || '5', 10);
this.selectable = this.dataset.selectable === 'true';
this.multiselectable = this.dataset.multiselectable === 'true';
// Find initial focused cell
const focusedCell = this.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[tabindex="0"]');
this.focusedId = focusedCell?.dataset.cellId ?? null;
// Load initial selected ids
this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[aria-selected="true"]').forEach((el) => {
const cellId = el.dataset.cellId;
if (cellId) this.selectedIds.add(cellId);
});
// Set tabindex="-1" on all focusable elements inside grid cells
// This ensures Tab exits the grid instead of moving between widgets
this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(
'[role="gridcell"] a[href], [role="gridcell"] button, [role="rowheader"] a[href], [role="rowheader"] button'
).forEach((el) => {
el.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
});
// Add event listeners to all cells
// Use focusin instead of focus because focus doesn't bubble
// This ensures we catch focus on widgets inside cells
this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[role="gridcell"], [role="rowheader"]').forEach(
(cell) => {
cell.addEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown.bind(this) as EventListener);
cell.addEventListener('focusin', this.handleFocus.bind(this) as EventListener);
}
);
}
disconnectedCallback() {
this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[role="gridcell"], [role="rowheader"]').forEach(
(cell) => {
cell.removeEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown.bind(this) as EventListener);
cell.removeEventListener('focusin', this.handleFocus.bind(this) as EventListener);
}
);
}
private getCells(): HTMLElement[] {
return Array.from(
this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[role="gridcell"], [role="rowheader"]')
);
}
private getRows(): HTMLElement[] {
return Array.from(this.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[role="row"]')).slice(1); // Skip header row
}
private getColumnCount(): number {
return this.querySelectorAll('[role="columnheader"]').length;
}
private getCellAt(rowIndex: number, colIndex: number): HTMLElement | null {
const rows = this.getRows();
const row = rows[rowIndex];
if (!row) return null;
const cells = row.querySelectorAll('[role="gridcell"], [role="rowheader"]');
return cells[colIndex] as HTMLElement | null;
}
private focusCell(cell: HTMLElement) {
const currentFocused = this.querySelector('[tabindex="0"]');
if (currentFocused) {
currentFocused.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
currentFocused.classList.remove('focused');
}
cell.setAttribute('tabindex', '0');
cell.classList.add('focused');
// Check if cell contains a focusable element (link, button, etc.)
// Per APG: when cell contains a single widget, focus should be on the widget
const focusableChild = cell.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
'a[href], button:not([disabled]), input:not([disabled]), select:not([disabled]), textarea:not([disabled]), [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])'
);
if (focusableChild) {
// Set tabindex="-1" so Tab skips this element and exits the grid
// The widget can still receive programmatic focus
focusableChild.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
focusableChild.focus();
} else {
cell.focus();
}
this.focusedId = cell.dataset.cellId ?? null;
}
private handleFocus(event: Event) {
// Use currentTarget (the cell) instead of target (which could be a link inside the cell)
const cell = event.currentTarget as HTMLElement;
const currentFocused = this.querySelector('[tabindex="0"]');
if (currentFocused && currentFocused !== cell) {
currentFocused.setAttribute('tabindex', '-1');
currentFocused.classList.remove('focused');
}
cell.setAttribute('tabindex', '0');
cell.classList.add('focused');
this.focusedId = cell.dataset.cellId ?? null;
}
private findNextCell(
rowIndex: number,
colIndex: number,
direction: 'right' | 'left' | 'up' | 'down'
): HTMLElement | null {
const colCount = this.getColumnCount();
const rowCount = this.getRows().length;
let newRow = rowIndex;
let newCol = colIndex;
switch (direction) {
case 'right':
newCol++;
if (newCol >= colCount) {
if (this.wrapNavigation) {
newCol = 0;
newRow++;
} else {
return null;
}
}
break;
case 'left':
newCol--;
if (newCol < 0) {
if (this.wrapNavigation) {
newCol = colCount - 1;
newRow--;
} else {
return null;
}
}
break;
case 'down':
newRow++;
break;
case 'up':
newRow--;
break;
}
if (newRow < 0 || newRow >= rowCount) return null;
const cell = this.getCellAt(newRow, newCol);
if (!cell) return null;
// Skip disabled cells
if (cell.dataset.disabled === 'true') {
return this.findNextCell(newRow, newCol, direction);
}
return cell;
}
private toggleSelection(cell: HTMLElement) {
if (!this.selectable) return;
if (cell.dataset.disabled === 'true') return;
const cellId = cell.dataset.cellId;
if (!cellId) return;
if (this.multiselectable) {
if (this.selectedIds.has(cellId)) {
this.selectedIds.delete(cellId);
cell.setAttribute('aria-selected', 'false');
} else {
this.selectedIds.add(cellId);
cell.setAttribute('aria-selected', 'true');
}
} else {
// Clear previous selection
this.querySelectorAll('[aria-selected="true"]').forEach((el) => {
el.setAttribute('aria-selected', 'false');
});
this.selectedIds.clear();
if (!this.selectedIds.has(cellId)) {
this.selectedIds.add(cellId);
cell.setAttribute('aria-selected', 'true');
}
}
this.dispatchEvent(
new CustomEvent('selection-change', {
detail: { selectedIds: Array.from(this.selectedIds) },
})
);
}
private selectAll() {
if (!this.selectable || !this.multiselectable) return;
this.getCells().forEach((cell) => {
if (cell.dataset.disabled !== 'true') {
const cellId = cell.dataset.cellId;
if (cellId) {
this.selectedIds.add(cellId);
cell.setAttribute('aria-selected', 'true');
}
}
});
this.dispatchEvent(
new CustomEvent('selection-change', {
detail: { selectedIds: Array.from(this.selectedIds) },
})
);
}
private handleKeyDown(event: KeyboardEvent) {
// Use currentTarget (the cell) instead of target (which could be a link inside the cell)
const cell = event.currentTarget as HTMLElement;
const { key, ctrlKey } = event;
const {
rowIndex: rowIndexStr,
colIndex: colIndexStr,
disabled,
cellId,
rowId,
colId,
} = cell.dataset;
const rowIndex = parseInt(rowIndexStr || '0', 10);
const colIndex = parseInt(colIndexStr || '0', 10);
let handled = true;
switch (key) {
case 'ArrowRight': {
const next = this.findNextCell(rowIndex, colIndex, 'right');
if (next) this.focusCell(next);
break;
}
case 'ArrowLeft': {
const next = this.findNextCell(rowIndex, colIndex, 'left');
if (next) this.focusCell(next);
break;
}
case 'ArrowDown': {
const next = this.findNextCell(rowIndex, colIndex, 'down');
if (next) this.focusCell(next);
break;
}
case 'ArrowUp': {
const next = this.findNextCell(rowIndex, colIndex, 'up');
if (next) this.focusCell(next);
break;
}
case 'Home': {
if (ctrlKey) {
const firstCell = this.getCellAt(0, 0);
if (firstCell) this.focusCell(firstCell);
} else {
const firstInRow = this.getCellAt(rowIndex, 0);
if (firstInRow) this.focusCell(firstInRow);
}
break;
}
case 'End': {
const colCount = this.getColumnCount();
if (ctrlKey) {
const rowCount = this.getRows().length;
const lastCell = this.getCellAt(rowCount - 1, colCount - 1);
if (lastCell) this.focusCell(lastCell);
} else {
const lastInRow = this.getCellAt(rowIndex, colCount - 1);
if (lastInRow) this.focusCell(lastInRow);
}
break;
}
case 'PageDown': {
if (this.enablePageNavigation) {
const rowCount = this.getRows().length;
const targetRow = Math.min(rowIndex + this.pageSize, rowCount - 1);
const targetCell = this.getCellAt(targetRow, colIndex);
if (targetCell) this.focusCell(targetCell);
} else {
handled = false;
}
break;
}
case 'PageUp': {
if (this.enablePageNavigation) {
const targetRow = Math.max(rowIndex - this.pageSize, 0);
const targetCell = this.getCellAt(targetRow, colIndex);
if (targetCell) this.focusCell(targetCell);
} else {
handled = false;
}
break;
}
case ' ': {
this.toggleSelection(cell);
break;
}
case 'Enter': {
if (disabled !== 'true') {
this.dispatchEvent(
new CustomEvent('cell-activate', {
detail: { cellId, rowId, colId },
})
);
}
break;
}
case 'a': {
if (ctrlKey) {
this.selectAll();
} else {
handled = false;
}
break;
}
default:
handled = false;
}
if (handled) {
event.preventDefault();
event.stopPropagation();
}
}
}
customElements.define('apg-grid', ApgGrid);
</script> Usage
---
import Grid from '@patterns/grid/Grid.astro';
const columns = [
{ id: 'name', header: 'Name' },
{ id: 'email', header: 'Email' },
{ id: 'role', header: 'Role' },
];
const rows = [
{
id: 'user1',
cells: [
{ id: 'user1-0', value: 'Alice Johnson' },
{ id: 'user1-1', value: 'alice@example.com' },
{ id: 'user1-2', value: 'Admin' },
],
},
];
---
<!-- Basic Grid -->
<Grid
columns={columns}
rows={rows}
ariaLabel="User list"
/>
<!-- With selection enabled -->
<Grid
columns={columns}
rows={rows}
ariaLabel="User list"
selectable
multiselectable
/> API
Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
columns | GridColumnDef[] | required | Column definitions |
rows | GridRowData[] | required | Row data |
ariaLabel | string | - | Accessible name for grid |
selectable | boolean | false | Enable cell selection |
multiselectable | boolean | false | Enable multi-cell selection |
Web Component
The Astro version uses a custom element <apg-grid> for client-side interactivity.
Keyboard navigation and selection are handled via JavaScript after hydration.
Testing
Astro Grid tests use Container API for static rendering tests. Interactive behavior is tested via E2E tests.
import { experimental_AstroContainer as AstroContainer } from 'astro/container';
import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
import Grid from './Grid.astro';
// Helper data
const basicColumns = [
{ id: 'name', header: 'Name' },
{ id: 'email', header: 'Email' },
{ id: 'role', header: 'Role' },
];
const basicRows = [
{
id: 'row1',
cells: [
{ id: 'row1-0', value: 'Alice' },
{ id: 'row1-1', value: 'alice@example.com' },
{ id: 'row1-2', value: 'Admin' },
],
},
{
id: 'row2',
cells: [
{ id: 'row2-0', value: 'Bob' },
{ id: 'row2-1', value: 'bob@example.com' },
{ id: 'row2-2', value: 'User' },
],
},
];
const rowsWithDisabled = [
{
id: 'row1',
cells: [
{ id: 'row1-0', value: 'Alice' },
{ id: 'row1-1', value: 'alice@example.com', disabled: true },
{ id: 'row1-2', value: 'Admin' },
],
},
];
describe('Grid (Astro)', () => {
describe('ARIA Attributes', () => {
it('renders role="grid" on container', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('role="grid"');
});
it('renders role="row" on rows', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
const rowMatches = result.match(/role="row"/g);
// Header row + 2 data rows = 3 rows
expect(rowMatches?.length).toBe(3);
});
it('renders role="gridcell" on data cells', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
const cellMatches = result.match(/role="gridcell"/g);
// 2 rows * 3 columns = 6 cells
expect(cellMatches?.length).toBe(6);
});
it('renders role="columnheader" on header cells', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
const headerMatches = result.match(/role="columnheader"/g);
expect(headerMatches?.length).toBe(3);
});
it('renders aria-label on grid', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-label="Users"');
});
it('renders aria-labelledby when provided', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabelledby: 'grid-title' },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-labelledby="grid-title"');
});
it('renders aria-multiselectable when multiselectable', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: {
columns: basicColumns,
rows: basicRows,
ariaLabel: 'Users',
selectable: true,
multiselectable: true,
},
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-multiselectable="true"');
});
it('renders aria-disabled on disabled cells', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: rowsWithDisabled, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-disabled="true"');
});
it('renders aria-selected on selectable cells', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users', selectable: true },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-selected="false"');
});
});
describe('Structure', () => {
it('renders Web Component wrapper', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('<apg-grid');
expect(result).toContain('</apg-grid>');
});
it('renders cell values', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('Alice');
expect(result).toContain('alice@example.com');
expect(result).toContain('Admin');
});
it('renders column headers', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
expect(result).toContain('Name');
expect(result).toContain('Email');
expect(result).toContain('Role');
});
});
describe('Focus Management', () => {
it('renders tabindex="0" on first focusable cell', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
// First gridcell should have tabindex="0"
const gridcellPattern = /role="gridcell"[^>]*tabindex="0"/;
expect(result).toMatch(gridcellPattern);
});
it('renders tabindex="-1" on other cells', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
// Other gridcells should have tabindex="-1"
const negativeTabindexMatches = result.match(/tabindex="-1"/g);
expect(negativeTabindexMatches?.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
});
it('columnheader cells do not have tabindex', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users' },
});
// columnheader should not have tabindex
const headerWithTabindex = /role="columnheader"[^>]*tabindex/;
expect(result).not.toMatch(headerWithTabindex);
});
});
describe('Virtualization', () => {
it('renders aria-rowcount when totalRows provided', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users', totalRows: 100 },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-rowcount="100"');
});
it('renders aria-colcount when totalColumns provided', async () => {
const container = await AstroContainer.create();
const result = await container.renderToString(Grid, {
props: { columns: basicColumns, rows: basicRows, ariaLabel: 'Users', totalColumns: 10 },
});
expect(result).toContain('aria-colcount="10"');
});
});
}); Resources
- WAI-ARIA APG: Grid Pattern (opens in new tab)
- WAI-ARIA APG: Data Grid Examples (opens in new tab)
- AI Implementation Guide (llm.md) (opens in new tab) - ARIA specs, keyboard support, test checklist