Table header without associated data cells

tables/data-undetermined

WCAG success criterion: 1.3.1 (level A)
Outcome class: Hint only. An automated check that by design reports review hints only: its findings are marked for manual review, never as confirmed violations.
Area: Accessibility, Structure & Semantics
Default severity: high
axe-core rule: th-has-data-cells

Why we flag this

Screen readers announce a header that structures no data.

Header cell with no associated data cells in the table.

What the rule checks

Scope. Every rendered table with header cells, no data cell, and a row group without rows.

Expectation. Header cells, no data cell, and an empty row group (tbody/thead/tfoot or role=rowgroup without a row): the rows are pending or hidden, so whether the headers get data cannot be decided from this state. Reported as UNTESTED (review) at the table, never as a violation.

Source. WCAG 2.2 SC 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (H51, H39, H63, H43, F91, F92); HTML §4.9 tabular data; WAI-ARIA 1.2 table/grid/row/cell roles

Detection: shared; needs dom, computed_style.

Failing example

The check flags this for review. Corpus case content_tables_pending, element table#pending-results. The page may contain further findings for other rules.

content_tables_pending.htmlHTML

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <title>Catalogue search</title>
    <style>
        nav a, .skip-link { display: inline-block; min-width: 44px; min-height: 44px; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <a class="skip-link" href="#main">Skip to main content</a>
    <header>
        <p>City Library</p>
        <nav aria-label="Main"><a href="/" aria-current="page">Home</a> <a href="/catalogue">Catalogue</a> <a href="/visit">Visit</a></nav>
    </header>
    <main id="main">
        <h1>Catalogue search</h1>
        <p>Results load as you type.</p>
        <table id="pending-results" aria-label="Search results">
            <thead><tr><th id="results-title">Title</th><th id="results-year">Year</th></tr></thead>
            <tbody></tbody>
        </table>
    </main>
    <footer><p>City Library, 1 Market Square</p></footer>
</body>
</html>

Passing example

The check passes here and reports nothing. Corpus case content_tables_ok. The page may contain further findings for other rules.

content_tables_ok.htmlHTML

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <title>Library statistics</title>
    <style>
        nav a, .skip-link { display: inline-block; min-width: 44px; min-height: 44px; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <a class="skip-link" href="#main">Skip to main content</a>
    <header>
        <p>City Library</p>
        <nav aria-label="Main"><a href="/" aria-current="page">Home</a> <a href="/catalogue">Catalogue</a> <a href="/visit">Visit</a></nav>
    </header>
    <main id="main">
        <h1>Library statistics</h1>
        <table id="prices">
            <caption>Copy and print prices</caption>
            <thead><tr><th scope="col" id="price-item">Item</th><th scope="col" id="price-cost">Cost</th></tr></thead>
            <tbody>
                <tr><td headers="price-item">Black and white page</td><td headers="price-cost">0.10</td></tr>
                <tr><td headers="price-item">Colour page</td><td headers="price-item price-cost">0.50</td></tr>
            </tbody>
        </table>
        <h2 id="hours-heading">Opening hours</h2>
        <table id="hours" aria-labelledby="hours-heading">
            <tr><th scope="row">Monday</th><td>9:00 to 18:00</td></tr>
            <tr><th scope="row">Sunday</th><td></td></tr>
        </table>
        <table id="minimal" aria-label="Late returns">
            <tr><th id="late-head">Late returns this week</th><td></td></tr>
        </table>
        <table id="layout" role="presentation">
            <tr><td>Address: 1 Market Square</td><td>Phone: 555 0100</td></tr>
        </table>
        <div role="table" id="aria-branches" aria-label="Branches">
            <div role="row"><div role="columnheader">Branch</div><div role="columnheader">Status</div></div>
            <div role="row"><div role="cell">North</div><div role="cell">Open</div></div>
        </div>
        <stat-table></stat-table>
        <script>
            customElements.define('stat-table', class extends HTMLElement {
                connectedCallback() {
                    this.attachShadow({ mode: 'open' }).innerHTML =
                        '<table id="shadow-stats"><caption>Visitors</caption>' +
                        '<tr><th scope="col" id="shadow-day">Day</th><th scope="col">Visitors</th></tr>' +
                        '<tr><td headers="shadow-day">Monday</td><td>310</td></tr></table>';
                }
            });
        </script>
    </main>
    <footer><p>City Library, 1 Market Square</p></footer>
</body>
</html>

This page is generated from the rule catalogue and the rule contracts; see therule overview for how the outcome classes are derived.