4.1.1: Parsing

What it means

WCAG 2.2 deprecated this criterion. It originally required valid, parsable markup so browsers and assistive tech could interpret content reliably. Modern accessibility practice still favours valid HTML, but 4.1.1 is no longer required for WCAG 2.2 conformance.

Focus on 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value for practical robustness testing.

How to fix it

• Use valid HTML and fix parser errors when you find them — good practice even though 4.1.1 is deprecated.
• Validate templates in CI to catch unclosed tags and duplicate IDs early.
• Do not rely on invalid markup hacks that break in assistive tech.
• Prioritise 4.1.2 testing for names, roles, and values on custom components.

Quick examples

• Good: Components use valid HTML and pass lint checks even though 4.1.1 is deprecated.
• Bad: Duplicate id values break labels and are ignored because “parsing is deprecated”.
• Good: Custom widgets still expose correct roles despite 4.1.1 removal from audits.
• Bad: Nested interactive elements are left unfixed citing deprecated parsing rules.