Tabindex
Tabindex is an HTML attribute that controls the order in which elements receive focus when users navigate a web page using the keyboard (typically the Tab key). It specifies whether an element is focusable and its position in the tab sequence, enabling developers to create accessible and intuitive keyboard navigation. This is crucial for ensuring web applications are usable by people with disabilities, such as those who rely on screen readers or cannot use a mouse.
Developers should learn and use tabindex to build accessible web applications that comply with standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and support keyboard-only users. It's essential for interactive elements like forms, modals, and custom widgets where logical tab order improves usability, and it should be applied in scenarios like managing focus in single-page applications (SPAs) or overriding default browser behavior. Misuse (e.g., setting tabindex to positive values unnecessarily) can harm accessibility, so it's important to understand best practices.