Foundation · stable · v1.0.0 · owner: Site system lead · contract 19 of 20 points (open: figma)
Reference
Source reference; not an executed check.
visually-hidden- screen readers only
reveal- section-content entrance (motion-ok)
Do and don't
2 positive / 2 negative authored documentation examples (2 each required); 1 reference (1 required); 0 failed. References and failures do not count; this is not behavior acceptance.
Do: The source link keeps its hidden new-tab suffix
Authored by utilities.tsRendered consumer example; not an executed correctness check. caption Isolated document follows the browser's colour and contrast preferences. The outer theme toolbar does not control this document.
Open example: Utilities · Do: The source link keeps its hidden new-tab suffix Use the full-page example to follow page links.
Do: A table has a native hidden caption
Authored by utilities.tsRendered consumer example; not an executed correctness check. figure-frame Isolated document follows the browser's colour and contrast preferences. The outer theme toolbar does not control this document.
Open example: Utilities · Do: A table has a native hidden caption Use the full-page example to follow page links.
Don't: The only control name is removed from the tree
Authored by utilities.tsRule illustration; not an executed check. accessibility / a11y.colour-alone
<button><span style="display:none">Review changes</span><span style="background:var(--teal)"></span></button>
The coloured mark is the only exposed cue.Don't: The only error is hidden and absent from the summary
Authored by utilities.tsRule illustration; not an executed check. form-field / field.error-fix
<p class="visually-hidden">The source could not be loaded. Choose another file.</p>
On failed submission there is no visible field error or top summary linking the reader to a fix.Rules
| Rule | Why | Check |
|---|---|---|
| No new utility without a decision record. | Utilities grow into a second system if unchecked. | Review: Owner |
API
No props.
Contract details
The full contract: identity, anatomy, variants, states, tokens, layout, motion, accessibility, content, tests
Identity
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| Id | utilities |
| Layer | Foundations |
| Category | foundation |
| Owner | Site system lead |
| Status | stable |
| Version | 1.0.0 |
| Source | apps/showcase/site/system/foundations/utilities.ts (private repository; the contract and the render function are this one module) |
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 | 2026-10-26 | Utilities as one module: its markup moved out of the page builder (scripts/site) into the system. |
Use when
- Hidden headings and labels for assistive technology. Why: Some names must be read but not seen.
Do not use when
- To restyle an element. Why: Utilities are not a styling system; elements own their styles.
Anatomy
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| visually-hidden | Readable, not visible |
| sprite | The SVG sprite holder |
| reveal | Once-only below-fold section-content entrance, motion-ok only |
Made of: nothing (a base element).
Used in: pages directly.
Variants
| Variant | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| light and dark | Every page, following the reader's setting. | The same roles resolve to light or dark values, so no element chooses its own. |
States
| State | Rendered or not applicable |
|---|---|
| default | The specimen. |
| hover | Not applicable: A foundation is not interactive. |
| focus-visible | Not applicable: Not focusable. |
| active | Not applicable: Not interactive. |
| disabled | Not applicable: Nothing to disable. |
| loading | Not applicable: Values are built into the stylesheet. |
| empty | Not applicable: The build fails if a value is missing. |
| error | Not applicable: Unresolved values fail the brand gate, not the reader. |
| current | Not applicable: No current item. |
| visited | Not applicable: Not a link. |
| expanded | Not applicable: Does not open. |
Tokens
| Part | Token |
|---|---|
| reveal.duration | --dur-weave |
| reveal.easing | --ease-enter |
Layout
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| breakpoints | Required review at 390, 768, 1024 and 1440 px; execution is not implied by this declaration; columns stack under 768 px; the wrap keeps a 16 px gutter on phones. |
| wrapping | Text wraps; nothing scrolls sideways. |
| textExpansion | Japanese runs 20 to 40% longer; headings break between phrases (jaBreaks) and blocks grow downwards. |
Spacing and rhythm
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| internal | Not applicable: a foundation has no box of its own. |
| external | Not applicable. |
| rhythm | Applies to every element that reads it. |
Motion
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| moves | Selected below-fold section headings, text, figures and the other registered REVEAL targets rise 20 px into place. |
| trigger | Entering view, only with .motion-ok. |
| duration | --dur-weave, at most six --stagger intervals |
| easing | --ease-enter |
| interruptible | It completes; nothing waits on it. |
| reduced | No movement: the shell removes .motion-ok while reduced motion is active, including live preference changes. Content remains readable without JavaScript. |
| why | A small once-only entrance groups each section's content in reading order. |
Runtime and reuse
Render-only element; mount any registered child enhancements separately. Preserve required Site CSS, fonts, responsive and locale rules from nativeElement.
Accessibility passport
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| role | Not rendered on the site; its specimen in the Library is a list |
| name | The foundation's name |
| keyboard | Not interactive. |
| focus | Not focusable. |
| screenReader | The specimen is a plain list of names and values. |
| contrast | Every text and ground pair in the palette is checked (check-brand). |
| target | Not a target. |
Content
| Slot | Length | Voice |
|---|---|---|
| visually-hidden names, table captions and status text (consumer-owned) | The owning control, table or task contract's budget | Supply meaningful text that remains in the accessibility tree. Keep essential instructions and errors visible; the utility hides presentation and does not create live-region semantics or a status lifecycle. |
| revealed section wording (consumer-owned) | The existing heading, body or figure budget | Preserve the complete text without JavaScript and with reduced motion. The reveal utility adds an entrance, never new copy or a loading state. |
Good: “(opens in a new tab) (ContactForm's hidden suffix on its privacy link)” · “Health of a sample system by component family (rows) and product (columns) (visuals.ts hidden table caption)”
Bad: “display:none used for a control's only name” · “A form error available only in visually-hidden text”
Japanese: Translate hidden text as carefully as visible text through the owning source; ContactForm's new-tab suffix already uses its i18n catalogue. Keep reveal content present in the Japanese document with motion disabled. The utility supplies no translation or announcement API, and manual assistive-technology/native review remains open.
Icons and illustrations
None: this element uses no icon or illustration of its own.
Decisions and exceptions
- None.
Usage
652 owned-class occurrences in built pages plus metadata-token references in built CSS (measured by npm run site:system).
No application mechanism is declared.
Current check result: not assessed by this report. Declarations and source-file presence do not establish executed enforcement or accepted coverage.
Tests
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| unit | tests/unit/site-system.test.ts: renders every do and don't example through the registry and checks the classes it owns |
| visual | Not yet: there are no screenshot baselines; the Library page is checked for sideways scroll at 1440 px by tests/site/system.spec.ts |
| a11y | tests/site/system.spec.ts: axe (0 serious or critical) on the element's Library page in light and dark |
| parity | scripts/site/system/check.ts: Library examples are rendered by the same render function the site imports |
Figma
not-yet: The Loom Site Figma library is the last stage of the plan; this element is not mapped yet.