eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y anchor-is-valid error

Not specified by the original author.

eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y anchor-is-valid error - how to fix it

TL;DR

Use the right element for the job: anchors need a valid href for navigation, buttons for actions, and next/link style components need the rule configured to recognize them. Replace href="#" and javascript: links with buttons or real hrefs. One line of why: an anchor without a valid href is not keyboard-focusable in all browsers and confuses assistive tech about what the control does.

The error, verbatim

/app/src/components/Nav.jsx
  12:5  error  The href attribute is required for an anchor to be keyboard accessible  jsx-a11y/anchor-is-valid

Fix it step by step

Step 1: Reproduce on one file

npx eslint src/components/Nav.jsx --rule '{"jsx-a11y/anchor-is-valid": "error"}'

Expected: ESLint prints the anchor-is-valid error with line and column.

Step 2: Find every bad anchor

npx eslint src --rule '{"jsx-a11y/anchor-is-valid": "error"}' | rg 'anchor-is-valid' | head -20

Expected: Full list of offending anchors across the codebase.

Step 3: Decide link vs button per case

rg -n 'href=.#|href=.javascript' src --glob '*.{jsx,tsx}' | head -20

Expected: Shows placeholder-href anchors; those that trigger actions become buttons, those that navigate get real hrefs.

Step 4: Fix and re-lint

npx eslint src | rg -c 'anchor-is-valid' || echo 0

Expected: Prints 0. Keyboard test: every former anchor is now a focusable link or button with the right role.

Step 5: Enforce it in CI

npx eslint src --max-warnings 0 | tail -3

Expected: Clean output; add the lint command to CI with max-warnings 0 so the violation cannot come back.

When to use this skill

• Your linter output names this exact jsx-a11y / a11y rule
• You want the violation fixed at author time so it never reaches axe or CI
• You are adding the rule to a shared eslint config and need the fix pattern

When NOT to use this skill

• The failure comes from axe-core or lighthouse at runtime, not from lint
• You plan to disable the rule project-wide, this skill shows the fix, not the escape hatch

Compatibility

eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y 6.7+ with eslint 8 or 9. Configure the components/aspects options if you use next/link or a custom Link component. Pin the tool version in the lockfile so scans stay reproducible across machines.

Variant phrasings

the href attribute is required for an anchor to be keyboard accessible

The default error message, same fix.

jsx-a11y anchor-is-valid next/link

The framework variant: configure the rule with components: ['Link'] so it checks your router links.

the rule fires in the editor too

With the eslint extension installed, the same error appears inline while typing; the fix is identical.

Why it happens

The rule enforces that anchors are used for navigation (valid href), because an anchor without href is not in the tab order in some browsers and screen readers may not announce it as a link. Codebases full of href="#" placeholders and click-handler anchors trip it constantly. Router link components (next/link) need explicit rule config or they are ignored entirely, which hides real violations. Linter rules catch the violation at author time, which is cheaper than any runtime fix. When this rule fires across many files, fix the shared component and mention it in team onboarding so new code does not reintroduce it.

Edge cases

• Configure aspects: ['noHref', 'invalidHref', 'preferButton'] to tune which checks run; preferButton pushes action-anchors toward button elements.
• An anchor wrapping block content is fine as long as the href is valid, the rule does not complain about that.
• If you must keep a placeholder href during development, that is what the rule is trying to stop, use a button.
• After fixing, run the whole lint suite once; a11y rules interact and one fix can surface the next violation.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_lHYlJzxWB5bGXgG8xbQerg

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_lHYlJzxWB5bGXgG8xbQerg

Thread query: eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y anchor-is-valid error

TL;DR: Use the right element for the job: anchors need a valid href for navigation, buttons for actions, and next/link style components need the rule configured to recognize them. Replace href="#" and javascript: links with buttons or real hrefs. One line of why: an anchor without a valid href is not keyboard-focusable in all browsers and confuses assistive tech about what the control does.

Not specified by the original author.

eslint jsx-a11y tabindex-no-positive failed positive tabindex - how to fix it

TL;DR

Replace every positive tabindex with 0, -1, or a DOM reorder: positive values hijack the tab order into an explicit sequence that breaks the moment markup changes. One line of why: tab order should follow DOM order, and positive tabindex creates a fragile parallel order that assistive tech and keyboards experience differently.

The error, verbatim

/app/src/components/Modal.jsx
  30:9  error  Avoid positive integer values for tabIndex  jsx-a11y/tabindex-no-positive

Fix it step by step

Step 1: Reproduce on one file

npx eslint src/components/Modal.jsx --rule '{"jsx-a11y/tabindex-no-positive": "error"}'

Expected: ESLint prints the tabindex-no-positive error.

Step 2: Find every positive tabindex

npx eslint src | rg 'tabindex-no-positive' | head -20

Expected: Full list of positive tabIndex usages.

Step 3: Convert each one

rg -n 'tabIndex=.?[1-9]|tabindex=.?[1-9]' src --glob '*.{jsx,tsx,vue,html}' | head -20

Expected: Shows the exact lines to change to 0, -1, or a DOM reorder.

Step 4: Fix and re-lint

npx eslint src | rg -c 'tabindex-no-positive' || echo 0

Expected: Prints 0. Tab order now follows the DOM, which matches the visual order.

Step 5: Enforce it in CI

npx eslint src --max-warnings 0 | tail -3

Expected: Clean output; add the lint command to CI with max-warnings 0 so the violation cannot come back.

When to use this skill

• Your linter output names this exact jsx-a11y / a11y rule
• You want the violation fixed at author time so it never reaches axe or CI
• You are adding the rule to a shared eslint config and need the fix pattern

When NOT to use this skill

• The failure comes from axe-core or lighthouse at runtime, not from lint
• You plan to disable the rule project-wide, this skill shows the fix, not the escape hatch

Compatibility

eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y 6.7+ with eslint 8 or 9. Zero config needed, the rule is a simple ban. Pin the tool version in the lockfile so scans stay reproducible across machines.

Variant phrasings

avoid positive integer values for tabindex

The default message, same fix.

jsx-a11y tabindex 1 2 3

The classic anti-pattern: tabIndex 1, 2, 3 sprinkled to force an order.

the rule fires in the editor too

With the eslint extension installed, the same error appears inline while typing; the fix is identical.

Why it happens

Authors use positive tabindex to force a tab order instead of fixing the DOM order, usually tabIndex 1 on the primary action. It works until anyone adds, removes, or reorders elements, and then the explicit sequence silently diverges from the visual layout. The rule is a flat ban: no positive integers, ever. tabIndex 0 (in natural order) and -1 (focusable programmatically only) cover every legitimate need. Linter rules catch the violation at author time, which is cheaper than any runtime fix. When this rule fires across many files, fix the shared component and mention it in team onboarding so new code does not reintroduce it.

Edge cases

• tabIndex={-1} is for programmatic focus (modals, error summaries), not for removing things from tab order permanently.
• Do not use tabIndex 0 to make a div focusable as a substitute for a button, that trips other rules.
• Third-party widgets with positive tabindex need a post-render cleanup or a vendor fix.
• After fixing, run the whole lint suite once; a11y rules interact and one fix can surface the next violation.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstMnXPpgtkHgDh4fawdKuZA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pstMnXPpgtkHgDh4fawdKuZA

Thread query: eslint jsx-a11y tabindex-no-positive failed positive tabindex

TL;DR: Replace every positive tabindex with 0, -1, or a DOM reorder: positive values hijack the tab order into an explicit sequence that breaks the moment markup changes. One line of why: tab order should follow DOM order, and positive tabindex creates a fragile parallel order that assistive tech and keyboards experience differently.

Not specified by the original author.

eslint jsx-a11y lang error: html lang prop missing - how to fix it

TL;DR

This fixes the flagged violation at its source instead of silencing the rule. The html element has no lang prop, so screen readers guess the language and often mispronounce content. Follow the steps, re-run the scan, and gate the rule in CI so it stays fixed.

The error, verbatim

eslint jsx-a11y lang error: html lang prop missing

Fix it step by step

Step 1

Add lang="en" (or the correct BCP 47 code) to the html element in your root layout or index file.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 2

In frameworks, set it in the document head component, not on a wrapper div.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 3

Re-run the eslint jsx-a11y check; the lang rule passes immediately.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

Step 4

Spot-check with a screen reader that pronunciation follows the declared language.

Expected: the step completes with no new console errors and the flagged element changes as described.

When to use this skill

• Your scan report lists this exact rule or failure
• You are clearing automated accessibility failures before release or audit
• A CI accessibility gate is red because of this item

When NOT to use this skill

• Setting lang on body instead of html does not satisfy this rule.
• The issue only appears in manual screen-reader testing and no automated rule flags it
• You are doing a full manual WCAG audit; this skill covers one automated check

Compatibility

eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y (rule lang). Pairs with axe valid-lang / html-has-lang.

Variant phrasings

eslint jsx-a11y lang: html lang prop missing

Same underlying issue and the same fix. Searchers phrase it different ways; the remediation does not change.

Why it happens

The html element has no lang prop, so screen readers guess the language and often mispronounce content. These violations repeat across pages built from the same templates or components, so fix the shared source once and re-scan the whole site to confirm the fix cleared every instance.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_YsVtTVXvN1RpPuPyBu08zA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_YsVtTVXvN1RpPuPyBu08zA

Thread query: eslint jsx-a11y lang error: html lang prop missing

TL;DR: This fixes the flagged violation at its source instead of silencing the rule. The html element has no lang prop, so screen readers guess the language and often mispronounce content. Follow the steps, re-run the scan, and gate the rule in CI so it stays fixed.