Meter
A graphical display of a numeric value within a defined range.
Demo
Native HTML
Use Native HTML First
Before using this custom component, consider using native <meter> elements. They provide built-in semantics, work without JavaScript, and require no ARIA attributes.
<label for="battery">Battery Level</label>
<meter id="battery" value="75" min="0" max="100">75%</meter> Use custom implementations only when you need custom styling that native elements cannot provide, or when you need programmatic control over the visual appearance.
| Use Case | Native HTML | Custom Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Basic value display | Recommended | Not needed |
| JavaScript disabled support | Works natively | Requires fallback |
| low/high/optimum thresholds | Built-in support | Manual implementation |
| Custom styling | Limited (browser-dependent) | Full control |
| Consistent cross-browser appearance | Varies by browser | Consistent |
| Dynamic value updates | Works natively | Full control |
The native <meter> element supports low, high, and optimum attributes for automatic color changes based on value thresholds. This functionality requires manual implementation in custom components.
Accessibility Features
WAI-ARIA Roles
| Role | Target Element | Description |
|---|---|---|
meter | Container element | Identifies the element as a meter displaying a scalar value within a known range. |
WAI-ARIA Properties
aria-valuenow
Must be between aria-valuemin and aria-valuemax
- Values
- Number (current value)
- Required
- Yes
aria-valuemin
Specifies the minimum allowed value for the meter
- Values
- Number (default: 0)
- Required
- Yes
aria-valuemax
Specifies the maximum allowed value for the meter
- Values
- Number (default: 100)
- Required
- Yes
aria-valuetext
Provides a human-readable text alternative for the current value. Use when the numeric value alone doesn’t convey sufficient meaning.
- Values
- String (e.g.,
75% complete) - Required
- No
aria-label
Provides an invisible label for the meter
- Values
- String
- Required
- Conditional (required if no visible label)
aria-labelledby
References an external element as the label
- Values
- ID reference
- Required
Conditional (required if visible label exists)
- Meters must have an accessible name. This can be provided through a visible label using the label prop, aria-label for an invisible label, or aria-labelledby to reference an external element.
- The meter role is used for graphical displays of numeric values within a defined range. It is not interactive and should not receive focus by default.
Visual Design
- Visual fill bar - Proportionally represents the current value
- Numeric display - Optional text showing the current value
- Visible label - Optional label identifying the meter’s purpose
- Forced colors mode - Uses system colors for accessibility in Windows High Contrast Mode
References
Source Code
<template>
<div
role="meter"
:aria-valuenow="normalizedValue"
:aria-valuemin="min"
:aria-valuemax="max"
:aria-valuetext="ariaValueText"
:aria-label="label || $attrs['aria-label']"
:aria-labelledby="$attrs['aria-labelledby']"
:aria-describedby="$attrs['aria-describedby']"
:class="['apg-meter', $attrs.class]"
:id="$attrs.id"
:tabindex="$attrs.tabindex"
:data-testid="$attrs['data-testid']"
>
<span v-if="label" class="apg-meter-label" aria-hidden="true">
{{ label }}
</span>
<div class="apg-meter-track" aria-hidden="true">
<div class="apg-meter-fill" :style="{ width: `${percentage}%` }" />
</div>
<span v-if="showValue" class="apg-meter-value" aria-hidden="true">
{{ displayText }}
</span>
</div>
</template>
<script setup lang="ts">
import { computed } from 'vue';
defineOptions({
inheritAttrs: false,
});
export interface MeterProps {
/** Current value */
value: number;
/** Minimum value (default: 0) */
min?: number;
/** Maximum value (default: 100) */
max?: number;
/** Clamp value to min/max range (default: true) */
clamp?: boolean;
/** Show value text (default: true) */
showValue?: boolean;
/** Visible label text */
label?: string;
/** Human-readable value text for aria-valuetext */
valueText?: string;
/** Format pattern for dynamic value display (e.g., "{value}%", "{value} of {max}") */
format?: string;
}
const props = withDefaults(defineProps<MeterProps>(), {
min: 0,
max: 100,
clamp: true,
showValue: true,
label: undefined,
valueText: undefined,
format: undefined,
});
const clampNumber = (value: number, min: number, max: number, shouldClamp: boolean): number => {
if (!Number.isFinite(value) || !Number.isFinite(min) || !Number.isFinite(max)) {
return value;
}
return shouldClamp ? Math.min(max, Math.max(min, value)) : value;
};
// Format value helper
const formatValueText = (
val: number,
formatStr: string | undefined,
minVal: number,
maxVal: number
): string => {
if (!formatStr) return String(val);
return formatStr
.replace('{value}', String(val))
.replace('{min}', String(minVal))
.replace('{max}', String(maxVal));
};
const normalizedValue = computed(() => clampNumber(props.value, props.min, props.max, props.clamp));
const percentage = computed(() => {
if (props.max === props.min) return 0;
const pct = ((normalizedValue.value - props.min) / (props.max - props.min)) * 100;
return Math.max(0, Math.min(100, pct));
});
const ariaValueText = computed(() => {
if (props.valueText) return props.valueText;
if (props.format)
return formatValueText(normalizedValue.value, props.format, props.min, props.max);
return undefined;
});
const displayText = computed(() => {
if (props.valueText) return props.valueText;
return formatValueText(normalizedValue.value, props.format, props.min, props.max);
});
</script> Usage
<script setup>
import Meter from './Meter.vue';
</script>
<template>
<div>
<!-- Basic usage with aria-label -->
<Meter :value="75" aria-label="CPU Usage" />
<!-- With visible label -->
<Meter :value="75" label="CPU Usage" />
<!-- With format pattern -->
<Meter
:value="75"
label="Progress"
format="{value}%"
/>
<!-- Custom range -->
<Meter
:value="3.5"
:min="0"
:max="5"
label="Rating"
format="{value} / {max}"
/>
<!-- With valueText for screen readers -->
<Meter
:value="75"
label="Download Progress"
valueText="75 percent complete"
/>
</div>
</template> API
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
value | number | required | Current value of the meter |
min | number | 0 | Minimum value |
max | number | 100 | Maximum value |
clamp | boolean | true | Whether to clamp value to min/max range |
showValue | boolean | true | Whether to display the value text |
label | string | - | Visible label (also used as aria-label) |
valueText | string | - | Human-readable value for aria-valuetext |
format | string | - | Format pattern for display and aria-valuetext (e.g., "{value}%", "{value} of {max}") |
label, aria-label, or aria-labelledby is required for accessibility. Testing
Tests verify APG compliance for ARIA attributes, value handling, and accessibility requirements. Since Meter is a display-only element, keyboard interaction tests are not applicable. The Meter component uses a two-layer testing strategy.
Testing Strategy
Unit Tests (Testing Library)
Verify the component's rendered output using framework-specific testing libraries. These tests ensure correct HTML structure and ARIA attributes.
- ARIA attributes (role="meter", aria-valuenow, aria-valuemin, aria-valuemax)
- Value clamping behavior
- Accessible name handling
- Accessibility via jest-axe
E2E Tests (Playwright)
Verify component behavior in a real browser environment across all frameworks. These tests cover value display and cross-framework consistency.
- ARIA structure in live browser
- Non-interactive behavior verification
- Value display correctness
- axe-core accessibility scanning
- Cross-framework consistency checks
Test Categories
High Priority: ARIA Attributes (Unit + E2E)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
role="meter" | Element has the meter role |
aria-valuenow | Current value is correctly set |
aria-valuemin | Minimum value is set (default: 0) |
aria-valuemax | Maximum value is set (default: 100) |
aria-valuetext | Human-readable text is set when provided |
High Priority: Accessible Name (Unit + E2E)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
aria-label | Accessible name via aria-label attribute |
aria-labelledby | Accessible name via external element reference |
visible label | Visible label provides accessible name |
High Priority: Value Clamping (Unit)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
clamp above max | Values above max are clamped to max |
clamp below min | Values below min are clamped to min |
no clamp | Clamping can be disabled with clamp=false |
Medium Priority: Accessibility (Unit + E2E)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
axe violations | No accessibility violations detected by axe-core |
focus behavior | Not focusable by default |
Medium Priority: Edge Cases (Unit + E2E)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
decimal values | Handles decimal values correctly |
negative range | Handles negative min/max ranges |
large values | Handles large numeric values |
Low Priority: HTML Attribute Inheritance (Unit)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
className | Custom class is applied to container |
id | ID attribute is set correctly |
data-* | Data attributes are passed through |
Low Priority: Cross-framework Consistency (E2E)
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
Same meter count | React, Vue, Svelte, Astro all render same number of meters |
Consistent ARIA attributes | All frameworks have consistent ARIA structure |
Testing Tools
- Vitest (opens in new tab) - Test runner for unit tests
- Testing Library (opens in new tab) - Framework-specific testing utilities (React, Vue, Svelte)
- Playwright (opens in new tab) - Browser automation for E2E tests
- axe-core/playwright (opens in new tab) - Automated accessibility testing in E2E
See testing-strategy.md (opens in new tab) for full documentation.
import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/vue';
import { axe } from 'jest-axe';
import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
import Meter from './Meter.vue';
describe('Meter (Vue)', () => {
// 🔴 High Priority: ARIA Attributes
describe('ARIA Attributes', () => {
it('has role="meter"', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
expect(screen.getByRole('meter')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('has aria-valuenow set to current value', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '75');
});
it('has aria-valuemin set (default: 0)', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemin', '0');
});
it('has aria-valuemax set (default: 100)', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemax', '100');
});
it('has custom aria-valuemin when provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50, min: 10 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemin', '10');
});
it('has custom aria-valuemax when provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50, max: 200 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemax', '200');
});
it('has aria-valuetext when valueText provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75, valueText: '75 percent complete' },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuetext', '75 percent complete');
});
it('does not have aria-valuetext when not provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).not.toHaveAttribute('aria-valuetext');
});
it('uses format for aria-valuetext', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: {
value: 75,
min: 0,
max: 100,
format: '{value}%',
},
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuetext', '75%');
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Accessible Name
describe('Accessible Name', () => {
it('has accessible name via aria-label', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'CPU Usage' },
});
expect(screen.getByRole('meter', { name: 'CPU Usage' })).toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('has accessible name via aria-labelledby', () => {
render({
components: { Meter },
template: `
<div>
<span id="meter-label">Battery Level</span>
<Meter :value="80" aria-labelledby="meter-label" />
</div>
`,
});
expect(screen.getByRole('meter', { name: 'Battery Level' })).toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('has accessible name via visible label', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50, label: 'Storage Used' },
});
expect(screen.getByRole('meter', { name: 'Storage Used' })).toBeInTheDocument();
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Value Clamping
describe('Value Clamping', () => {
it('clamps value above max to max', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 150, min: 0, max: 100 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '100');
});
it('clamps value below min to min', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: -50, min: 0, max: 100 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '0');
});
it('does not clamp when clamp=false', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 150, min: 0, max: 100, clamp: false },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '150');
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Focus Behavior
describe('Focus Behavior', () => {
it('is not focusable by default', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).not.toHaveAttribute('tabindex');
});
it('is focusable when tabIndex is provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress', tabindex: 0 },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('tabindex', '0');
});
});
// 🟡 Medium Priority: Accessibility
describe('Accessibility', () => {
it('has no axe violations', async () => {
const { container } = render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const results = await axe(container);
expect(results).toHaveNoViolations();
});
it('has no axe violations with visible label', async () => {
const { container } = render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50, label: 'CPU Usage' },
});
const results = await axe(container);
expect(results).toHaveNoViolations();
});
it('has no axe violations with valueText', async () => {
const { container } = render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75, valueText: '75% complete' },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const results = await axe(container);
expect(results).toHaveNoViolations();
});
});
// 🟡 Medium Priority: Edge Cases
describe('Edge Cases', () => {
it('handles decimal values correctly', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 33.33 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '33.33');
});
it('handles negative min/max range', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 0, min: -50, max: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Temperature' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuenow', '0');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemin', '-50');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('aria-valuemax', '50');
});
});
// 🟡 Medium Priority: Visual Display
describe('Visual Display', () => {
it('shows value when showValue is true (default)', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
expect(screen.getByText('75')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('hides value when showValue is false', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 75, showValue: false },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
expect(screen.queryByText('75')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('displays formatted value when format provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: {
value: 75,
format: '{value}%',
},
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress' },
});
expect(screen.getByText('75%')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
it('displays visible label when label provided', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50, label: 'CPU Usage' },
});
expect(screen.getByText('CPU Usage')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
});
// 🟢 Low Priority: HTML Attribute Inheritance
describe('HTML Attribute Inheritance', () => {
it('applies class to container', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress', class: 'custom-meter' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveClass('custom-meter');
});
it('sets id attribute', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress', id: 'my-meter' },
});
const meter = screen.getByRole('meter');
expect(meter).toHaveAttribute('id', 'my-meter');
});
it('passes through data-* attributes', () => {
render(Meter, {
props: { value: 50 },
attrs: { 'aria-label': 'Progress', 'data-testid': 'custom-meter' },
});
expect(screen.getByTestId('custom-meter')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
});
}); Resources
- WAI-ARIA APG: Meter Pattern (opens in new tab)
- MDN: <meter> element (opens in new tab)
- AI Implementation Guide (llm.md) (opens in new tab) - ARIA specs, keyboard support, test checklist