What is Axe DevTools and how does this MCP server use it?

Axe DevTools is an accessibility testing engine that identifies WCAG violations. This MCP server exposes Axe's scanning capabilities so you can run automated accessibility audits on web pages through your AI assistant.

How do I install and run the Axe MCP server?

Use Docker to pull and run the official image: `docker run docker.io/dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:v1.0.2`. The server communicates via stdio transport, so configure your MCP client to connect to the container's stdio stream.

What accessibility standards does Axe check?

Axe DevTools checks against WCAG 2.1 and other accessibility standards. Refer to the official Axe documentation for the complete list of rules and standards supported in your version.

Can I use this server to scan pages behind authentication?

The registry metadata does not specify authentication handling. Check the server's documentation or logs for details on how to pass credentials or session tokens for scanning protected pages.

Is there a cost to use the Axe MCP server?

The server is provided by Deque Systems as an official Docker image. Verify licensing terms with Deque Systems, as Axe DevTools may have commercial or open-source licensing depending on your use case.

MCP ServerSTDIOOfficialv1.0.2

axe MCP Server

Scan web pages for accessibility violations using Axe DevTools. For developers integrating automated accessibility testing into their AI-assisted workflows.

io.github.dequelabs/axe-mcp-server

Try MCP with AI models View source

Hosted URL

Local install

Transport

STDIO

Auth

No auth required

What the axe MCP server does

How models use it and what it is built for.

Scan web pages for accessibility violations using Axe DevTools. For developers integrating automated accessibility testing into their AI-assisted workflows.

Connect to axe

Local install — runs as a subprocess.

docker run docker.io/dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:v1.0.2

Resources

Where to find authoritative docs and source for axe.

Source repository

Example prompts for axe

Paste any of these into Agent Studio after connecting axe.

Scan this URL for WCAG 2.1 accessibility issues and report critical violations
Run an accessibility audit on my staging environment and list all color contrast failures
Check this webpage for keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility problems
What accessibility standards does Axe DevTools check against?

axe MCP server — FAQ

Common questions about connecting and running axe.

What is Axe DevTools and how does this MCP server use it?
Axe DevTools is an accessibility testing engine that identifies WCAG violations. This MCP server exposes Axe's scanning capabilities so you can run automated accessibility audits on web pages through your AI assistant.
How do I install and run the Axe MCP server?
Use Docker to pull and run the official image: `docker run docker.io/dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:v1.0.2`. The server communicates via stdio transport, so configure your MCP client to connect to the container's stdio stream.
What accessibility standards does Axe check?
Axe DevTools checks against WCAG 2.1 and other accessibility standards. Refer to the official Axe documentation for the complete list of rules and standards supported in your version.
Can I use this server to scan pages behind authentication?
The registry metadata does not specify authentication handling. Check the server's documentation or logs for details on how to pass credentials or session tokens for scanning protected pages.
Is there a cost to use the Axe MCP server?
The server is provided by Deque Systems as an official Docker image. Verify licensing terms with Deque Systems, as Axe DevTools may have commercial or open-source licensing depending on your use case.

Skip the local setup — run MCP in your browser

MCP Playground runs 10,000+ hosted MCP servers — GitHub, Linear, Notion, Stripe, Sentry and more — across Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek and 60+ AI models. Compare model answers side-by-side, save agent presets, share runs. Zero install.

Open Agent Studio