March 9, 2025
+ 12

Alt text is a text description of an image, read by screen readers or users who have turned off images.

You need to add alt text to all images in Couchbase documentation.

Alt text must:

To write effective alt text:

Describe the Image

Describe, plainly, the content of the image.

Imagine that you were trying to describe it to someone who couldn’t actually see the image for themselves. Write a meaningful description that suits the user’s context.

Be Concise

You don’t need to describe every detail - unless there’s important text that a user needs.

Give the most relevant, important details that a sighted user would get at a glance. The alt text needs to provide this same information.

End with a Period

Make sure your alt text ends with a period after your last sentence.

Don’t Include "Image Of"

Don’t start your alt text with the words "image of."

If you need to specify the type of image, such as a diagram or illustration, add that at the end of the alt text.

Screen readers automatically add "image of."

Don’t Add Alt Text To Icons or Decorative Images

If the icon already has a text label, don’t add alt text.

If the image is purely decorative and doesn’t need to convey anything important to the user, don’t add alt text.