altdescription

altDescription is a label used in digital content to store a textual description of an image or UI element for accessibility. It is intended to help users who cannot perceive the visual content, such as those using screen readers.

In HTML, the standard attribute for images is alt; the content of the alt attribute is read by screen readers when the image cannot be displayed or when images are disabled. Some software systems, libraries, or data models use a property named altDescription to hold the same descriptive text, often as a separate data field that may be mapped to the rendered alt attribute or used by accessibility tooling.

Best practices: keep descriptions concise and informative; default to describing function or content rather than color or style; avoid phrases like 'image of'. If the image is decorative or purely ornamental, the accessibility layer should ignore it, which in practice may mean leaving the description empty or omitting the field.

Examples: In HTML: <img src="flower.jpg" alt="A red tulip in bloom">. In a JSON data model: { "altDescription": "A red tulip in bloom" }. In some component frameworks, altDescription may be exposed as a prop for screen readers; implementation details vary.

Notes: altDescription is not a universal HTML standard; it is a descriptive convention used in certain ecosystems to separate content descriptions from rendering logic. It remains part of broader accessibility and inclusive design practices.