Switch
A control that allows users to toggle between two states: on and off.
Demo
Accessibility Features
WAI-ARIA Roles
-
switch- An input widget that allows users to choose one of two values: on or off
WAI-ARIA switch role (opens in new tab)
WAI-ARIA States
aria-checked
| Values | true | false |
| Required | Yes (for switch role) |
| Default | initialChecked prop (default: false)
|
| Change Trigger | Click, Enter, Space |
| Reference | aria-checked (opens in new tab) |
aria-disabled
| Values | true | undefined |
| Required | No (only when disabled) |
| Change Trigger | Only when disabled |
| Reference | aria-disabled (opens in new tab) |
Keyboard Support
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Toggle the switch state (on/off) |
| Enter | Toggle the switch state (on/off) |
Accessible Naming
Switches must have an accessible name. This can be provided through:
- Visible label (recommended) - The switch's child content provides the accessible name
-
aria-label- Provides an invisible label for the switch -
aria-labelledby- References an external element as the label
Visual Design
This implementation follows WCAG 1.4.1 (Use of Color) by not relying solely on color to indicate state:
- Thumb position - Left = off, Right = on
- Checkmark icon - Visible only when the switch is on
- Forced colors mode - Uses system colors for accessibility in Windows High Contrast Mode
Source Code
---
/**
* APG Switch Pattern - Astro Implementation
*
* A control that allows users to toggle between two states: on and off.
* Uses Web Components for client-side interactivity.
*
* @see https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/switch/
*/
export interface Props {
/** Initial checked state */
initialChecked?: boolean;
/** Whether the switch is disabled */
disabled?: boolean;
/** Additional CSS class */
class?: string;
}
const { initialChecked = false, disabled = false, class: className = '' } = Astro.props;
---
<apg-switch class={className}>
<button
type="button"
role="switch"
class="apg-switch"
aria-checked={initialChecked}
aria-disabled={disabled || undefined}
disabled={disabled}
>
<span class="apg-switch-track">
<span class="apg-switch-icon" aria-hidden="true">
<svg viewBox="0 0 12 12" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<path
d="M10.28 2.28a.75.75 0 00-1.06-1.06L4.5 5.94 2.78 4.22a.75.75 0 00-1.06 1.06l2.25 2.25a.75.75 0 001.06 0l5.25-5.25z"
fill="currentColor"></path>
</svg>
</span>
<span class="apg-switch-thumb"></span>
</span>
{
Astro.slots.has('default') && (
<span class="apg-switch-label">
<slot />
</span>
)
}
</button>
</apg-switch>
<script>
class ApgSwitch extends HTMLElement {
private button: HTMLButtonElement | null = null;
private rafId: number | null = null;
connectedCallback() {
this.rafId = requestAnimationFrame(() => this.initialize());
}
private initialize() {
this.rafId = null;
this.button = this.querySelector('button[role="switch"]');
if (!this.button) {
console.warn('apg-switch: button element not found');
return;
}
this.button.addEventListener('click', this.handleClick);
this.button.addEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown);
}
disconnectedCallback() {
if (this.rafId !== null) {
cancelAnimationFrame(this.rafId);
this.rafId = null;
}
this.button?.removeEventListener('click', this.handleClick);
this.button?.removeEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown);
this.button = null;
}
private toggle() {
if (!this.button || this.button.disabled) return;
const currentChecked = this.button.getAttribute('aria-checked') === 'true';
const newChecked = !currentChecked;
this.button.setAttribute('aria-checked', String(newChecked));
this.dispatchEvent(
new CustomEvent('change', {
detail: { checked: newChecked },
bubbles: true,
})
);
}
private handleClick = () => {
this.toggle();
};
private handleKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
if (event.key === ' ' || event.key === 'Enter') {
event.preventDefault();
this.toggle();
}
};
}
if (!customElements.get('apg-switch')) {
customElements.define('apg-switch', ApgSwitch);
}
</script> Usage
---
import Switch from './Switch.astro';
---
<Switch initialChecked={false}>
Enable notifications
</Switch>
<script>
// Listen for change events
document.querySelector('apg-switch')?.addEventListener('change', (e) => {
console.log('Checked:', e.detail.checked);
});
</script> API
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
initialChecked | boolean | false | Initial checked state |
disabled | boolean | false | Whether the switch is disabled |
class | string | "" | Additional CSS classes |
Custom Events
| Event | Detail | Description |
|---|---|---|
change | { checked: boolean } | Fired when the switch state changes |
Slots
| Slot | Description |
|---|---|
default | Switch label content |
Testing
Tests verify APG compliance across keyboard interaction, ARIA attributes, and accessibility requirements. The Switch 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="switch", aria-checked)
- Keyboard interaction (Space, Enter)
- Disabled state handling
- Accessibility via jest-axe
E2E Tests (Playwright)
Verify component behavior in a real browser environment across all frameworks. These tests cover interactions and cross-framework consistency.
- Click and keyboard toggle behavior
- ARIA structure in live browser
- Disabled state interactions
- axe-core accessibility scanning
- Cross-framework consistency checks
Test Categories
High Priority: APG Keyboard Interaction ( Unit + E2E )
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
Space key | Toggles the switch state |
Enter key | Toggles the switch state |
Tab navigation | Tab moves focus between switches |
Disabled Tab skip | Disabled switches are skipped in Tab order |
Disabled key ignore | Disabled switches ignore key presses |
High Priority: APG ARIA Attributes ( Unit + E2E )
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
role="switch" | Element has switch role |
aria-checked initial | Initial state is aria-checked="false" |
aria-checked toggle | Click changes aria-checked value |
type="button" | Explicit button type prevents form submission |
aria-disabled | Disabled switches have aria-disabled="true" |
Medium Priority: Accessibility ( Unit + E2E )
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
axe violations | No WCAG 2.1 AA violations (via jest-axe) |
Accessible name (children) | Switch has name from children content |
aria-label | Accessible name via aria-label |
aria-labelledby | Accessible name via external element |
Low Priority: HTML Attribute Inheritance ( Unit )
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
className merge | Custom classes are merged with component classes |
data-* attributes | Custom data attributes are passed through |
Low Priority: Cross-framework Consistency ( E2E )
| Test | Description |
|---|---|
All frameworks have switch | React, Vue, Svelte, Astro all render switch elements |
Toggle on click | All frameworks toggle correctly on click |
Consistent ARIA | All frameworks have consistent ARIA structure |
Example Test Code
The following is the actual E2E test file (e2e/switch.spec.ts).
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import AxeBuilder from '@axe-core/playwright';
/**
* E2E Tests for Switch Pattern
*
* A switch is a type of checkbox that represents on/off values.
* It uses `role="switch"` and `aria-checked` to communicate state
* to assistive technology.
*
* APG Reference: https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/switch/
*/
const frameworks = ['react', 'vue', 'svelte', 'astro'] as const;
// Helper to get switch elements
const getSwitches = (page: import('@playwright/test').Page) => {
return page.locator('[role="switch"]');
};
for (const framework of frameworks) {
test.describe(`Switch (${framework})`, () => {
test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto(`patterns/switch/${framework}/demo/`);
await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
});
// 🔴 High Priority: ARIA Structure
test.describe('APG: ARIA Structure', () => {
test('has role="switch"', async ({ page }) => {
const switches = getSwitches(page);
const count = await switches.count();
expect(count).toBeGreaterThan(0);
for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
await expect(switches.nth(i)).toHaveAttribute('role', 'switch');
}
});
test('has aria-checked attribute', async ({ page }) => {
const switches = getSwitches(page);
const count = await switches.count();
for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
const ariaChecked = await switches.nth(i).getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(['true', 'false']).toContain(ariaChecked);
}
});
test('has accessible name', async ({ page }) => {
const switches = getSwitches(page);
const count = await switches.count();
for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
const switchEl = switches.nth(i);
const text = await switchEl.textContent();
const ariaLabel = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-label');
const ariaLabelledby = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-labelledby');
const hasAccessibleName =
(text && text.trim().length > 0) || ariaLabel !== null || ariaLabelledby !== null;
expect(hasAccessibleName).toBe(true);
}
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Click Interaction
test.describe('APG: Click Interaction', () => {
test('toggles aria-checked on click', async ({ page }) => {
const switchEl = getSwitches(page).first();
const initialState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
await switchEl.click();
const newState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).not.toBe(initialState);
// Click again to toggle back
await switchEl.click();
const finalState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(finalState).toBe(initialState);
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Keyboard Interaction
test.describe('APG: Keyboard Interaction', () => {
test('toggles on Space key', async ({ page }) => {
const switchEl = getSwitches(page).first();
const initialState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
await switchEl.focus();
await expect(switchEl).toBeFocused();
await switchEl.press('Space');
const newState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).not.toBe(initialState);
});
test('toggles on Enter key', async ({ page }) => {
const switchEl = getSwitches(page).first();
const initialState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
await switchEl.focus();
await expect(switchEl).toBeFocused();
await switchEl.press('Enter');
const newState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).not.toBe(initialState);
});
test('is focusable via Tab', async ({ page }) => {
const switchEl = getSwitches(page).first();
// Tab to the switch
let found = false;
for (let i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
if (await switchEl.evaluate((el) => el === document.activeElement)) {
found = true;
break;
}
}
expect(found).toBe(true);
});
});
// 🔴 High Priority: Disabled State
test.describe('Disabled State', () => {
test('disabled switch has aria-disabled="true"', async ({ page }) => {
const disabledSwitch = page.locator('[role="switch"][aria-disabled="true"]');
if ((await disabledSwitch.count()) > 0) {
await expect(disabledSwitch.first()).toHaveAttribute('aria-disabled', 'true');
}
});
test('disabled switch does not toggle on click', async ({ page }) => {
const disabledSwitch = page.locator('[role="switch"][aria-disabled="true"]');
if ((await disabledSwitch.count()) > 0) {
const initialState = await disabledSwitch.first().getAttribute('aria-checked');
await disabledSwitch.first().click({ force: true });
const newState = await disabledSwitch.first().getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).toBe(initialState);
}
});
test('disabled switch does not toggle on keyboard', async ({ page }) => {
const disabledSwitch = page.locator('[role="switch"][aria-disabled="true"]');
if ((await disabledSwitch.count()) > 0) {
const initialState = await disabledSwitch.first().getAttribute('aria-checked');
await disabledSwitch.first().focus();
await page.keyboard.press('Space');
const newState = await disabledSwitch.first().getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).toBe(initialState);
}
});
});
// 🟡 Medium Priority: Accessibility
test.describe('Accessibility', () => {
test('has no axe-core violations', async ({ page }) => {
const switches = getSwitches(page);
await switches.first().waitFor();
const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page })
.include('[role="switch"]')
.analyze();
expect(accessibilityScanResults.violations).toEqual([]);
});
});
});
}
// Cross-framework consistency tests
test.describe('Switch - Cross-framework Consistency', () => {
test('all frameworks have switch elements', async ({ page }) => {
for (const framework of frameworks) {
await page.goto(`patterns/switch/${framework}/demo/`);
await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
const switches = page.locator('[role="switch"]');
const count = await switches.count();
expect(count).toBeGreaterThan(0);
}
});
test('all frameworks toggle correctly on click', async ({ page }) => {
for (const framework of frameworks) {
await page.goto(`patterns/switch/${framework}/demo/`);
await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
const switchEl = page.locator('[role="switch"]').first();
const initialState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
await switchEl.click();
const newState = await switchEl.getAttribute('aria-checked');
expect(newState).not.toBe(initialState);
}
});
test('all frameworks have consistent ARIA structure', async ({ page }) => {
const ariaStructures: Record<string, unknown[]> = {};
for (const framework of frameworks) {
await page.goto(`patterns/switch/${framework}/demo/`);
await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
ariaStructures[framework] = await page.evaluate(() => {
const switches = document.querySelectorAll('[role="switch"]');
return Array.from(switches).map((switchEl) => ({
hasAriaChecked: switchEl.hasAttribute('aria-checked'),
hasAccessibleName:
(switchEl.textContent && switchEl.textContent.trim().length > 0) ||
switchEl.hasAttribute('aria-label') ||
switchEl.hasAttribute('aria-labelledby'),
}));
});
}
// All frameworks should have the same structure
const reactStructure = ariaStructures['react'];
for (const framework of frameworks) {
expect(ariaStructures[framework]).toEqual(reactStructure);
}
});
}); Running Tests
# Run unit tests for Switch
npm run test -- switch
# Run E2E tests for Switch (all frameworks)
npm run test:e2e:pattern --pattern=switch
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.
Resources
- WAI-ARIA APG: Switch Pattern (opens in new tab)
- AI Implementation Guide (llm.md) (opens in new tab) - ARIA specs, keyboard support, test checklist