A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target
Why AA is the standard most teams commit to.
A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target is a free Web Accessibility Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Web Accessibility Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Three Levels, One Standard
WCAG defines three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA. Each adds more success criteria, raising the bar for how usable your site must be.
Level A: The Floor
Level A is the bare minimum. Miss it and content can be completely unusable, like an image with no alt text or a control you cannot reach.
Level AA: The Real Target
Level AA is what most teams and laws aim for. It folds in all of A plus stricter rules on contrast, focus, and resizing.
Level AAA: The Ceiling
Level AAA is the strictest tier. The W3C itself says it is not a realistic goal for entire sites, so treat it as aspirational.
Levels Are Cumulative
The tiers stack: to claim AA you must satisfy every A and every AA criterion. You cannot skip the lower level and jump ahead.
Why AA Is the Sweet Spot
AA balances real impact against effort. It removes the barriers that block most people without demanding the rare, costly fixes that AAA asks for.
Laws Point at AA
Regulations like the EU directive and most ADA settlements reference WCAG 2 Level AA. Hitting AA is how teams stay on the right side of the law.
An A Example: 1.1.1
Criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) sits at level A. Every meaningful image needs a text alternative, the most fundamental rule there is.
An AA Example: 1.4.3
Contrast Minimum, 1.4.3, is a level AA rule. It demands a 4.5:1 ratio for body text, a fix you simply do not get at level A.
An AAA Example: 1.4.6
Contrast Enhanced, 1.4.6, is AAA and asks for 7:1. Beautiful for readability, but often impossible to keep across a whole brand palette.
You Can Mix Up Where Helpful
Commit to AA across the board, then adopt select AAA rules where they matter, like a high-contrast mode. Document exactly what you claim.
Quick Check
Decide which target most projects should aim for.
Recap: Picking a Target
Three tiers stack: A is the floor, AA is the real-world goal, AAA is aspirational. Commit to AA and document any extras. Next: the new 2.2 criteria. 🎯
Frequently asked questions
Is the “A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target” is free to read here on the web, and the Web Accessibility Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Web Accessibility Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target”?
Why AA is the standard most teams commit to. You practise Web Accessibility Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Web Accessibility Academy?
No prior experience is required. Web Accessibility Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Web Accessibility Academy lesson?
Yes. Every Web Accessibility Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- A, AA, AAA: Picking the Right Target
- The 2.2 Additions: Focus Appearance & Target Size
- Dragging Movements and Accessible Authentication
- Writing a Defensible Conformance Statement