audit_url
Audit a deployed website URL for UX and accessibility issues
audit_url
Audit a deployed website URL for UX and accessibility issues. This is the primary entry point for most auditing workflows.
Description
The audit_url tool runs a comprehensive UX and accessibility audit on any publicly accessible URL. It captures screenshots, analyzes the page, and returns findings with severity ratings.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | required | Website URL to audit (must be publicly accessible or localhost) |
| mode | 'basic' | 'standard' | 'deep' | optional | Audit depth. Default: 'standard' |
| timeout_ms | number | optional | Maximum time to wait for audit completion. Max: 120000, Default: 60000 |
| wait | boolean | optional | Wait for audit completion before returning. Default: true |
| baseline_id | string | optional | Previous audit ID for change tracking (diff mode) |
| offline | boolean | optional | Enable for local HTML files or Storybook. Default: false |
Audit Modes
| Mode | Duration | Checks | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
basic | ~30s | Core accessibility (WCAG A) | Quick verification, CI gates |
standard | ~2min | Full WCAG 2.1 AA + UX heuristics | Regular audits, PR checks |
deep | ~5min | Multi-page crawl, performance, AA+AAA | Comprehensive reviews, compliance |
Response
typepropertiesExample Conversations
Basic Audit
"Audit https://mysite.com"
Claude runs audit_url with default settings:
audit_url({
url: "https://mysite.com"
})Deep Audit with Extended Timeout
"Do a deep audit of https://staging.mysite.com with a 2 minute timeout"
Claude uses explicit parameters:
audit_url({
url: "https://staging.mysite.com",
mode: "deep",
timeout_ms: 120000
})Local Development Audit
"Audit my local Storybook at http://localhost:6006"
Claude enables offline mode for localhost:
audit_url({
url: "http://localhost:6006",
offline: true
})Comparison with Baseline
"Audit the homepage and compare it to last week's baseline audit"
Claude uses the baseline_id parameter:
audit_url({
url: "https://mysite.com",
baseline_id: "aud_previous_123"
})Response includes a changes section showing new, fixed, and unchanged findings.
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
INVALID_URL | URL is malformed or not accessible | Check URL format and ensure it's publicly reachable |
TIMEOUT | Audit exceeded timeout_ms | Increase timeout or use basic mode |
UNAUTHORIZED | Invalid API key | Check API key configuration |
QUOTA_EXCEEDED | Monthly audit limit reached | Upgrade plan or wait for reset |
NETWORK_ERROR | Cannot reach the target URL | Verify URL is accessible and not blocking requests |
Tips
Choosing the Right Mode
- CI/CD pipelines: Use
basicfor fast feedback - PR reviews: Use
standardfor balanced coverage - Compliance audits: Use
deepfor thorough analysis
Using with Localhost
For local development servers:
- Ensure your dev server is running
- Use
offline: truefor local files - Works with: webpack-dev-server, Vite, Storybook, etc.
Baseline Comparisons
To track changes over time:
- Save the
audit_idfrom your first audit - Use it as
baseline_idin subsequent audits - The response will include a diff showing new/fixed issues
Related
- get_findings - Retrieve detailed findings
- suggest_fix - Get AI-suggested fixes
- API: Create Audit - REST API equivalent
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