Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse
Run quick audits right in the browser.
Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse 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.
Two Tools in Your Browser
You do not need a special setup to start auditing. Both axe DevTools and Lighthouse run right inside Chrome, scanning the page you are already looking at.
Meet axe DevTools
The axe DevTools extension adds a tab to your browser developer tools. One click runs the axe-core engine and lists accessibility issues on the page.
Reading an axe Result
Each finding names the broken rule, shows the exact element, rates the impact, and links to a guide explaining how to fix it. No guessing required.
Highlight the Offending Element
axe DevTools can highlight the failing element right on the page. That makes it obvious which button or image triggered the warning.
Impact Levels Guide Priority
axe tags each issue with an impact level: minor, moderate, serious, or critical. Start with critical and serious to fix the biggest blockers first.
Meet Lighthouse
Lighthouse is built into Chrome DevTools. Its accessibility category also runs axe-core under the hood and gives you a single score out of one hundred.
Running a Lighthouse Audit
Open the Lighthouse panel, tick Accessibility, and click Analyze page load. In seconds you get a score plus a grouped list of failing audits.
The Score Is Not the Goal
A Lighthouse score of one hundred is encouraging, but it only reflects the checks it can automate. Treat it as a floor, never proof of full accessibility.
Lighthouse From the Command Line
You can run Lighthouse outside the browser too. Install it with npm and point it at any URL to generate a shareable report.
npx lighthouse https://example.com --only-categories=accessibilityaxe vs Lighthouse
axe DevTools gives deeper detail and best-practice rules; Lighthouse gives a quick score across many categories. Both share the axe-core engine, so they agree often.
Scan Early and Often
Run a quick scan while you build, not just before release. Catching a missing label now is far cheaper than tracing it back later.
Quick Check
Recall what these two browser tools share.
Recap: One Click to Insight
axe DevTools gives detailed, fixable findings while Lighthouse gives a fast score. Both live in your browser and run axe-core, so scanning early is effortless. 🔍
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse” 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 “Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse”?
Run quick audits right in the browser. 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 “Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse” 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
- What Automation Can and Cannot Catch
- Scanning With axe DevTools and Lighthouse
- Wiring axe-core Into Playwright Tests
- Linting and CI Gates for Accessibility