Native controls join the tab order
Links, buttons, and form controls are keyboard reachable by default. Avoid adding positive tab indexes to force an order; fix the document order instead so keyboard and visual reading stay aligned.
Focus needs a visible home
Do not remove focus outlines without a clear replacement. When a dialog or temporary surface opens, move focus inside; when it closes, return focus to the control that opened it when that control still exists.
A familiar example
Using a lesson page without a mouse
- Tab reaches the curriculum return link and article navigation in document order.
- Each focused link has a visible outline.
- Activating Next lesson loads the next article and the new heading becomes the clear starting context.
What to remember
- Keyboard order should follow content order.
- Every interactive control needs visible focus.
- Manage focus when context changes, not on ordinary static navigation.