Technique G110:Using an instant client-side redirect
About this Technique
This technique relates to 3.2.5: Change on Request (Sufficient using a more specific technique).
This technique applies to all technologies.
Description
The objective of this technique is to enable redirects on the client side without confusing the user. Redirects are preferably implemented on the server side (see Implementing automatic redirects on the server side instead of on the client side), because a server-side redirect does not cause new content to be displayed before the server sends the content located at the new URI. However, authors do not always have control over server-side technologies; in that case, they can use a client-side redirect. A client-side redirect is implemented by code inside the content that instructs the user agent to retrieve content from a different URI. It is important that the redirecting page or Web page only contains information related to the redirect.
Examples
Example 1: HTML: meta Refresh With a URI and No Timeout
In HTML, it is possible to implement a client-side redirect using the meta element: see Using meta refresh to create an instant client-side redirect.
Tests
Procedure
- Find each link or programmatic reference to another page or Web page.
- For each link or programmatic reference, check if the referenced Web page contains code (e.g., meta element or script) that causes a client-side redirect.
- For each link or programmatic reference that causes a client-side redirect, check if the redirect is implemented without a time limit or delay and that the page only contains information related to the redirect.
Expected Results
Step 2 is false or step 3 is true.
Test Rules
The following are Test Rules related to this Technique. It is not necessary to use these particular Test Rules to check for conformance with WCAG, but they are defined and approved test methods. For information on using Test Rules, see Understanding Test Rules for WCAG Success Criteria.