What we find
This is an overview of what types of problems Squidler can find.
Functional problems
Working with functional problems on a website is crucial for several reasons:
- User Experience (UX):
Broken links frustrate visitors, leading to a poor browsing experience. This can increase bounce rates and reduce user engagement. - SEO Impact:
Search engines like Google penalize websites with broken links, lowering their search rankings. This reduces visibility and organic traffic. - Credibility and Trust:
Broken links can make a website appear outdated or poorly maintained, damaging the brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. - Conversion Rates:
Broken links on product pages, contact forms, or checkout processes can directly impact sales and conversions.
Broken images
Squidler finds links to missing or broken pages, both by identifying status codes and network errors, but also by looking at the content of the target pages, as many single-page applications and other dynamic rendering techniques don't respond with proper status codes.
Broken links
Broken images are much like broken links — pointing to resources that don't exist or that can't be shown. In many cases this results in an ugly frame with a small icon inside.
Dead ends
Pages with no internal links, i.e. links followed during Squidler tests, are considered dead ends. Pages that don't show any such links within a few seconds trigger this problem.
Incorrect restoration of scroll position
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Images displayed with incorrect proportions
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Slightly horizontally scrollable pages
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Broken pages
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Blank pages
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Missing titles
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla.
Code visible in content
With many programming languages, frameworks, and frontend rendering technologies, there's a risk that code snippets or other technical artifacts end up visible on the page. This can be a security risk, or just look bad or be confusing.
Accessibility
Prioritizing website accessibility ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate and interact with content effectively. An accessible website improves user experience, broadens audience reach, and demonstrates social responsibility.
It also helps businesses comply with legal requirements and accessibility standards, reducing the risk of lawsuits. Additionally, accessible design often enhances overall usability and SEO performance, making the site more user-friendly for everyone.
Squidler uses Axe-core to test against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0, 2.1), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and other international standards of web accessibility.Read more about the Axe-core rules on the ACT Rules website.
Color Contrast Issues
Insufficient contrast between text and background colors. Problems with graphical elements that lack adequate contrast for visibility.
HTML Structure and Semantics
Missing or improper use of elements. Incorrect heading hierarchy. Missing < title > or descriptions that aid screen readers.
ARIA Misuse
Misused or redundant ARIA can block assistive technologies and harm accessibility. Use ARIA only to enhance native HTML functionality.
Forms and Input Accessibility
Missing or improperly associated <label> elements for input fields.
Unclear error messages or lack of error messages that can help developers find the problem.
Missing aria-required or invalid attributes on form elements.
Keyboard Navigation
Elements that are not focusable using the keyboard (e.g., links or buttons without proper attributes).
Inconsistent focus order, making navigation difficult.
Interactive Elements
Missing or incorrect attributes on buttons, links, and other interactive components.
Issues with modals, dropdowns, and accordions not being accessible to screen readers or keyboard users.
Image and Media Accessibility
Missing or empty alt attributes on images.
Inadequate or missing captions for videos.
Missing attributes like role="presentation" for purely decorative images.
Dynamic Content
Missing live region roles (aria-live) for dynamic updates that need to be announced to screen readers.
Improper focus management when new elements like modals appear.
Accessibility API Compatibility
Elements that don’t expose the correct information to accessibility APIs, affecting assistive technologies.
Miscellaneous Issues
Duplicate id attributes in the DOM.Missing <html lang> attributes to indicate the page language.Missing or incorrect landmarks for navigation.
Language issues
Proper spelling, grammar, and style on a website are crucial for building credibility, professionalism, and trust with users.
Errors can make content appear careless or untrustworthy, leading to a poor user experience and reduced engagement.
Clear and consistent language also improves communication, making information easier to understand and more accessible to a wider audience.
Additionally, well-written content can positively impact SEO, helping the site rank higher in search results and attract more visitors.
Squidler uses LanguageTool to extract and check for language-related problems. Multilingual pages are supported, and our HTML-aware extract eliminates a lot of false positives.
Spelling mistakes
Typos or misspelled words (e.g., “Recieve” instead of “Receive”).
Grammar mistakes
Incorrect verb tense (e.g., “She go to the store” instead of “She goes to the store”).
Subject-verb disagreement (e.g., “The team are ready” instead of “The team is ready”).
Punctuation errors
Missing commas or periods (e.g., “Let’s eat grandma” vs. “Let’s eat, grandma”).
Misused apostrophes (e.g., “Its raining” instead of “It’s raining”).
Inconsistent tone or style
Switching between formal and informal language (e.g., using slang in a professional context).
Inconsistent use of terminology or branding language.
Translation and localization errors
Poorly translated content that changes the original meaning.
Not adapting content to suit local cultures and contexts.
Addressing these issues improves user experience, builds credibility, and ensures the content is clear and accessible to all audiences.