Should We Be Dropping the Role Attribute in Twenty Thirteen Yet?

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Your feedback is requested on Trac Ticket 24629.

Cited example: Should the Twenty Thirteen drop the use of the role attribute on the HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites.5 nav element on the grounds that the element, by definition, has the role of navigation? Or should role="navigation" be retained in order to support technologies that are not yet HTML5 aware?

My own opinion that the role attribute should be retained for the time being in order to support the widest range of technologies. Dropping it would offer only a marginal benefit in reducing page bloat. Please do weigh in with your opinions on the ticket.

#a11y-audit, #html5, #trac-2

tady 12:59 pm on June 25, 2013

Deffo not. The role attribute is still as important now as it was pre-HTML5. A cited counter example: The main element (<main>) has only just been introduced to the HTML5 spec and is recommended it take the format:

<main role=”main”>

Personally feel that it doesn’t make any more or less work to include it. I wouldn’t be in such a rush to remove attributes such as this any time soon. The spec has a long way to go and will change again before it is fully RCRelease Candidate A beta version of software with the potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge., so I reckon removing helpful attributes like roles have the possibility of shooting us in the foot at some point in the future.
_Redd 1:17 pm on June 25, 2013

Don’t drop it. We’re finding that HTML5 attributes are starting to gain support, and we’re including it in our sites.
ceo 2:54 pm on June 25, 2013

While I don’t think we should be bound to supporting users with outdated software, which isn’t to say state-of-the-art is fully supporting HTML5 anyway, I think the pros of keeping it far outweigh the cons of not.
gogreener 1:40 am on June 26, 2013

Agreed. Is it possible to set a reminder to review it again at a later date?
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