Tooltip
A popup that displays information related to an element when the element receives keyboard focus or the mouse hovers over it.
🤖 AI Implementation GuideDemo
Accessibility Features
WAI-ARIA Roles
-
tooltip- A contextual popup that displays a description for an element
WAI-ARIA tooltip role (opens in new tab)
WAI-ARIA States & Properties
aria-describedby
References the tooltip element to provide an accessible description for the trigger element.
| Applied to | Trigger element (wrapper) |
| When | Only when tooltip is visible |
| Reference | aria-describedby (opens in new tab) |
aria-hidden
Indicates whether the tooltip is hidden from assistive technology.
| Values | true (hidden) | false (visible)
|
| Default | true |
| Reference | aria-hidden (opens in new tab) |
Keyboard Support
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Escape | Closes the tooltip |
| Tab | Standard focus navigation; tooltip shows when trigger receives focus |
Focus Management
- Tooltip never receives focus - Per APG, tooltips must not be focusable. If interactive content is needed, use a Dialog or Popover pattern instead.
- Focus triggers display - When the trigger element receives focus, the tooltip appears after the configured delay.
- Blur hides tooltip - When focus leaves the trigger element, the tooltip is hidden.
Mouse/Pointer Behavior
- Hover triggers display - Moving the pointer over the trigger shows the tooltip after the delay.
- Pointer leave hides - Moving the pointer away from the trigger hides the tooltip.
Important Notes
Note: The APG Tooltip pattern is currently marked as "work in progress" by the WAI. This implementation follows the documented guidelines, but the specification may evolve. View APG Tooltip Pattern (opens in new tab)
Visual Design
This implementation follows best practices for tooltip visibility:
- High contrast - Dark background with light text ensures readability
- Dark mode support - Colors invert appropriately in dark mode
- Positioned near trigger - Tooltip appears adjacent to the triggering element
- Configurable delay - Prevents accidental activation during cursor movement
Source Code
---
export type TooltipPlacement = 'top' | 'bottom' | 'left' | 'right';
export interface Props {
/** Tooltip content */
content: string;
/** Default open state */
defaultOpen?: boolean;
/** Delay before showing tooltip (ms) */
delay?: number;
/** Tooltip placement */
placement?: TooltipPlacement;
/** Custom tooltip ID */
id?: string;
/** Whether the tooltip is disabled */
disabled?: boolean;
/** Additional class name for the wrapper */
class?: string;
/** Additional class name for the tooltip content */
tooltipClass?: string;
}
const {
content,
defaultOpen = false,
delay = 300,
placement = 'top',
id,
disabled = false,
class: className = '',
tooltipClass = '',
} = Astro.props;
const tooltipId = id ?? `tooltip-${crypto.randomUUID().slice(0, 8)}`;
const placementClasses: Record<TooltipPlacement, string> = {
top: 'bottom-full left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 mb-2',
bottom: 'top-full left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 mt-2',
left: 'right-full top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 mr-2',
right: 'left-full top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 ml-2',
};
---
<apg-tooltip
class:list={['apg-tooltip-trigger', 'relative inline-block', className]}
data-delay={delay}
data-disabled={disabled ? 'true' : undefined}
data-tooltip-id={tooltipId}
data-default-open={defaultOpen ? 'true' : undefined}
>
<slot />
<span
id={tooltipId}
role="tooltip"
aria-hidden="true"
class:list={[
'apg-tooltip',
'absolute z-50 px-3 py-1.5 text-sm',
'rounded-md bg-gray-900 text-white shadow-lg',
'dark:bg-gray-100 dark:text-gray-900',
'pointer-events-none whitespace-nowrap',
'transition-opacity duration-150',
placementClasses[placement],
'invisible opacity-0',
tooltipClass,
]}
>
{content}
</span>
</apg-tooltip>
<script>
class ApgTooltip extends HTMLElement {
private timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
private isOpen = false;
private tooltipEl: HTMLElement | null = null;
private delay: number;
private disabled: boolean;
private tooltipId: string;
constructor() {
super();
this.delay = 300;
this.disabled = false;
this.tooltipId = '';
}
connectedCallback() {
this.delay = parseInt(this.dataset.delay ?? '300', 10);
this.disabled = this.dataset.disabled === 'true';
this.tooltipId = this.dataset.tooltipId ?? '';
this.tooltipEl = this.querySelector(`#${this.tooltipId}`);
if (this.dataset.defaultOpen === 'true') {
this.showTooltip();
}
this.addEventListener('mouseenter', this.handleMouseEnter);
this.addEventListener('mouseleave', this.handleMouseLeave);
this.addEventListener('focusin', this.handleFocusIn);
this.addEventListener('focusout', this.handleFocusOut);
document.addEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown);
}
disconnectedCallback() {
if (this.timeout) {
clearTimeout(this.timeout);
}
this.removeEventListener('mouseenter', this.handleMouseEnter);
this.removeEventListener('mouseleave', this.handleMouseLeave);
this.removeEventListener('focusin', this.handleFocusIn);
this.removeEventListener('focusout', this.handleFocusOut);
document.removeEventListener('keydown', this.handleKeyDown);
}
private handleMouseEnter = () => {
this.scheduleShow();
};
private handleMouseLeave = () => {
this.hideTooltip();
};
private handleFocusIn = () => {
this.scheduleShow();
};
private handleFocusOut = () => {
this.hideTooltip();
};
private handleKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
if (event.key === 'Escape' && this.isOpen) {
this.hideTooltip();
}
};
private scheduleShow() {
if (this.disabled) return;
if (this.timeout) {
clearTimeout(this.timeout);
}
this.timeout = setTimeout(() => {
this.showTooltip();
}, this.delay);
}
private showTooltip() {
if (this.disabled || !this.tooltipEl) return;
this.isOpen = true;
this.tooltipEl.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'false');
this.tooltipEl.classList.remove('opacity-0', 'invisible');
this.tooltipEl.classList.add('opacity-100', 'visible');
this.setAttribute('aria-describedby', this.tooltipId);
}
private hideTooltip() {
if (this.timeout) {
clearTimeout(this.timeout);
this.timeout = null;
}
if (!this.tooltipEl) return;
this.isOpen = false;
this.tooltipEl.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
this.tooltipEl.classList.remove('opacity-100', 'visible');
this.tooltipEl.classList.add('opacity-0', 'invisible');
this.removeAttribute('aria-describedby');
}
}
customElements.define('apg-tooltip', ApgTooltip);
</script> Usage
---
import Tooltip from './Tooltip.astro';
---
<Tooltip
content="Save your changes"
placement="top"
delay={300}
>
<button>Save</button>
</Tooltip> API
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
content | string | - | Tooltip content (required) |
defaultOpen | boolean | false | Default open state |
delay | number | 300 | Delay before showing (ms) |
placement | 'top' | 'bottom' | 'left' | 'right' | 'top' | Tooltip position |
id | string | auto-generated | Custom ID |
disabled | boolean | false | Disable the tooltip |
This implementation uses a Web Component (<apg-tooltip>) for client-side
interactivity.
Testing
Testing Overview
The Tooltip component tests are organized into priority levels based on APG compliance requirements.
Test Categories
High Priority: APG Core Compliance
| Test | APG Requirement |
|---|---|
| role="tooltip" exists | Tooltip container must have tooltip role |
| aria-hidden when closed | Hidden tooltips must not be read by AT |
| aria-describedby when visible | Trigger must reference tooltip only when visible |
| Escape key closes tooltip | Keyboard dismissal support |
| Focus shows tooltip | Keyboard accessibility |
| Blur hides tooltip | Focus management |
Medium Priority: Accessibility Validation
| Test | WCAG Requirement |
|---|---|
| No axe violations (hidden state) | WCAG 2.1 AA compliance |
| No axe violations (visible state) | WCAG 2.1 AA compliance |
| Tooltip is not focusable | APG: tooltips must not receive focus |
Low Priority: Props & Extensibility
| Test | Feature |
|---|---|
| placement prop changes position | Positioning customization |
| disabled prop prevents display | Disable functionality |
| delay prop controls timing | Delay customization |
| id prop sets custom ID | SSR/custom ID support |
| controlled open state | External state control |
| onOpenChange callback | State change notification |
| className inheritance | Style customization |
Running Tests
# Run all Tooltip tests
npm run test -- tooltip
# Run tests for specific framework
npm run test -- Tooltip.test.tsx # React
npm run test -- Tooltip.test.vue # Vue
npm run test -- Tooltip.test.svelte # Svelte Resources
- WAI-ARIA APG: Tooltip Pattern (opens in new tab)
- AI Implementation Guide (llm.md) (opens in new tab) - ARIA specs, keyboard support, test checklist