What are ARIA roles and why are they important in modern HTML?

LowIntermediateHtml

By FrontendAtlas Team · Updated Jan 30, 2026

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Quick Answer

ARIA roles describe element purpose for assistive technologies. They improve accessibility when native semantics aren’t available, but should not replace proper HTML tags. ARIA should match real behavior; incorrect roles hurt accessibility. Test with keyboard navigation and screen readers.

Answer

Overview

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) defines roles and properties that help assistive technologies understand the purpose of elements, especially when default HTML semantics aren’t enough.

Type	Example	Purpose
Roles	`role="button"`	Defines the element’s function or type.
States	`aria-checked="true"`	Describes the current state of an element.
Properties	`aria-label="Close menu"`	Provides additional context or labels.

Core ARIA concepts

Example: Custom Button Using ARIA

HTML

<div role="button" tabindex="0" aria-pressed="false">Play</div>

This <div> visually acts as a button, but ARIA roles and attributes make it accessible to screen readers and keyboard users.

Why ARIA Matters

Makes custom UI components understandable to assistive technologies.
Improves accessibility without changing visual design.
Ensures compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG, ADA).
Bridges the gap between visual and semantic meaning.

Practical scenario
You build a custom dropdown, so you must apply correct ARIA roles and keyboard behavior to make it accessible.

Common pitfalls

Adding roles to native elements that already have the correct semantics.
Setting a role without matching keyboard interactions or ARIA states.
Forgetting to update aria-expanded and aria-selected.

Trade-off or test tip
Native elements require less ARIA, but custom UI needs careful roles. Test with keyboard-only navigation and a screen reader.

Still so complicated?

Think of ARIA roles as name tags for custom elements — they tell screen readers what each component actually is and what it does.

Summary

ARIA defines roles, states, and properties for accessibility.
Essential when native HTML elements are replaced with custom ones.
Improves usability for users relying on screen readers.
Always prefer native semantics before adding ARIA manually.