GitKraken Electron UI and Git Backend: Accessibility of the Commit Message Field
0 reputation · 23 Dec 2021, 02:53 UTC
Goal
Ensure that the commit message field in GitKraken’s commit dialog is perceivable and operable for users who rely on screen readers and keyboard navigation, without altering existing Git workflow shortcuts.
Constraints and Uncertainty
The field is implemented as a custom Electron widget that currently lacks explicit ARIA roles, so its role is only inferred by assistive technologies. Any change must preserve the existing keyboard shortcuts for committing, branching, and navigating the dialog, and must remain compatible with the underlying Git backend operations that trigger on commit.
Should the commit message field be replaced with a native HTML input element or enhanced with explicit ARIA attributes?
What ARIA role, state, and properties (e.g., role='textbox' aria‑multiline='true' aria‑label='Commit message') should be applied to convey an editable, multi‑line text control?
How can the focus order inside the commit dialog be stabilized to provide predictable navigation while retaining the current shortcut set?
electron