Using tab-key to navigate websites is impossible

DanielxWerk

Using tab-key many parts of websites are skipped. Other browser (like Chrome, Edge, Firefox) don't show this problem. So it's definitely a bug in Vivaldi.
This is a problem on Windows AND Mac.

DoctorG

@danielxwerk Not a bug.
Want to jump to every element on a site?
Settings → Webpages → Webpage Focus → Focus all Controls and Links

Pesala

@danielxwerk The default shortcuts for Spatial Navigation are:

Spatial Navigation Left = Shift+ or A
Spatial Navigation Up = Shift+ or W
Spatial Navigation Right = Shift+ or D
Spatial Navigation Down =Shift+ or S

Single-key shortcuts should be enabled in Settings, Keyboard to use A, W, D, S.

5ulo

Spatial navigation doesn't respect :focus, :focus-within css style. As a webdeveloper I find this utility not sufficient for developing a site, because the majority uses browsers where TAB key navigation works as it is ment to work.

ingo-steinke

Only discovered this now, in 2023, after wasting hours on a seemingly broken website. Tab key navigation works fine by default in any browser apart from Vivaldi. If it's not a bug, it must be a feature to disable tab navigation, but it should not be set by default. I don't even understand: what would be the benefit of not enabling tab key navigation by default?

The problem also occurs in Vivaldi 6.2 for Linux by the way.

DoctorG

@Pesala said in Using tab-key to navigate websites is impossible:

Spatial Navigation

That is not the same as navigation with tab key.
Spatial Navigation select only visible content, but does not f.ex. unhide skip links.
Vivaldi's Spatnav is somewhat dysfunctional, i know as i am a keyboard user and had reported many issues.

DoctorG

This post is deleted!

DoctorG

@ingo-steinke The problem is that a tab key navigation jumps to all focusible elements on a website, that could take much time until you reach the place you want to.

ingo-steinke

tab key navigation jumps to all focusible elements on a website, that could take much time until you reach the place you want to.

@DoctorG this is the reason to change default browser behavior against every other current user agent? People who don't find tab index helpful and who are willing and able to use a mouse or a touch screen can still do so, but I still don't get why the alternative should be disabled. There are a lot of websites where tab index is a helpful shortcut even for "abled" users.

That's what accessible web design should consider and prevent having too many irrelevant elements on a page, and that's what tabindex was made for.

DoctorG

@ingo-steinke Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes! Full Ack!
I support accessible web design and #a11y #usability #4all!
And was never happy that Tab key handling was disabled by default in favour for Spatial Navigation.

I hope for future there will be a Vivaldi which can easily switch fast between Tab Key Navigation, Caret Navigation and Spatial Navigation.

I, with a few internal testers, we all want to get a better accessible Vivaldi. And we report bugs and nag devs to improve the navigation in a web page.

ingo-steinke

Thanks @DoctorG for your detailed explanation! Now I begin to understand.

I linked this Vivaldi issue in my blog post about a supposed accessibility bug that turned out not to be a bug after all. This is my personal takeaway:

In the end, I learned that my code was correct, but that some user agents use spatial navigation, a 4-directional alternative to the usual tab key navigation considered essential for accessibility testing.

https://dev.to/ingosteinke/links-not-reachable-with-tab-key-despite-having-href-working-around-an-obscure-browser-feature-bop

DoctorG

@ingo-steinke Thanks for your article, helps others to get more clear information on what is different with Vivaldi.

camac109

+1 to everything mentioned here.
Under UK law, my organisation is required to develop accessible features, and we are in big trouble if we are deemed not to be making an effort.
(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/accessibility-requirements-for-public-sector-websites-and-apps)

Having vivaldi behave in a different manner to every other major browser out of the box is in my opinion, a bug.
Are non-abled users and web devs going to wonder why tab navigation doesn't work, find this forum page, read about the setting and turn it back on?

hmm... I think not.
They are going to say vivaldi is broken and use another browser that respects the conventions.