Nesting Levels Without Skipping
Go h2 to h3 in order so the outline stays logical.
Nesting Levels Without Skipping is a free Web Accessibility Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 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.
Headings Form an Outline
Heading levels build an outline like a nested list. The level numbers tell users which sections sit inside which, just like an essay outline. 🌳
Go Down One at a Time
After an h2, a subsection uses h3, not h4. Increasing levels one step at a time keeps the structure honest and easy to follow.
<h2>Shipping</h2>
<h3>Delivery Times</h3>Skipping Down Breaks It
Jumping from h2 straight to h4 implies a missing h3. The outline now has a hole, and users wonder what they skipped.
Climbing Back Up Is Fine
You can leap back up any amount. After an h4, returning to h2 simply means a new top-level section started. That is allowed.
<h2>Payment</h2>
<h3>Cards</h3>
<h4>Visa</h4>
<h2>Returns</h2>Levels Mean Hierarchy
Each step down means contained within. An h3 is part of the h2 above it, not a sibling. The number is a relationship, not a size.
Do Not Choose by Looks
Never pick h4 just because you want smaller text. Choose the level the structure needs, then style the size with CSS.
Siblings Share a Level
Sections at the same depth share a heading level. Three equal subsections under one topic should all be h3, side by side.
<h2>Menu</h2>
<h3>Starters</h3>
<h3>Mains</h3>
<h3>Desserts</h3>Start Below the h1
Your first section heading is h2, sitting just under the single h1. The outline grows downward from that one root.
Deep Nesting Is Rare
Most pages stop around h3 or h4. If you reach h6 often, your content may need splitting into simpler, shallower sections.
Empty Levels Confuse
Do not add an h3 with no content under it just to reach a level. Every heading should introduce real material below it.
Test by Reading Numbers
Read your headings aloud as just their numbers. A smooth 1, 2, 3, 2, 3 flows; a sudden 2 to 4 reveals a skipped level.
Quick Check
You have an h2. What is the correct level for a subsection inside it?
Recap
You learned to step heading levels down one at a time, never skip a level going down, and choose levels for hierarchy, not size. ✅
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Nesting Levels Without Skipping” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Nesting Levels Without Skipping” 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 “Nesting Levels Without Skipping”?
Go h2 to h3 in order so the outline stays logical. 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 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Nesting Levels Without Skipping” 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
- One h1 Per Page: Naming the Main Topic
- Nesting Levels Without Skipping
- Headings Are Navigation, Not Just Big Text
- Auditing a Page Outline by Ear