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Glossary · accessibility

WCAG vs APCA

Two competing color contrast standards — WCAG (4.5:1 ratio formula) and APCA (perceptually weighted lightness contrast).

WCAG 2.x contrast (4.5:1 for body, 3:1 for large/UI) is the current legal standard but has known issues — it under-flags some pairs and over-flags others. APCA (Accessible Perceptual Contrast Algorithm) is the experimental WCAG 3 candidate that measures perceptual lightness contrast on a -108 to +108 scale. AI2 Design's contrast matrix reports WCAG-style ratios because they're auditable today, but the brief's `accessibilityRules` notes APCA where the captured site uses it.

External reference

APCA Contrast
All glossary terms

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