W3C Web Sustainability Guidelines

Showing 71 of 71 guidelines

• 2.1Manual onlyUX

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  Identify, assess, disclose, review, and mitigate sustainability impacts

  Assess and report the planet, people, and prosperity impacts of digital projects, and plan measurable reductions to the real-world effects of their activity.

• 2.2Manual onlyUX

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  Understand user requirements or constraints

  Identify and involve users and affected communities, and research their needs.

• 2.3Manual onlyUX

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  Integrate sustainability into every stage of the ideation process

  Design and review sustainable branding and experiences, involve users throughout the process, and reduce unnecessary development and environmental impact through early testing and environmentally aware design.

• 2.4Semi-automatedUX

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  Design efficient and streamlined user journeys

  Design clear, efficient journeys that help users complete tasks and find content with minimal effort.

• 2.5Semi-automatedUX

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  Design to assist and not to distract

  Give users control over notifications and focus, prioritize task-relevant content, and avoid designs that distract or unnecessarily extend engagement.

• 2.6Semi-automatedUX

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  Avoid being manipulative or deceptive

  Avoid deceptive patterns, clearly label ads, respect consent for tracking, and ensure search, sharing, and discoverability practices prioritize user needs over optimization or manipulation.

• 2.7Manual onlyUX

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  Make deliverables understandable and reusable

  Create discoverable, maintainable, and reusable documentation and code resources that support long-term understanding, reuse, and sustainability.

• 2.8Manual onlyUX

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  Use a design system for interface consistency

  Use design systems and established patterns to ensure consistent, efficient, and sustainable interfaces through reusable components and clear maintenance practices.

• 2.9Semi-automatedUX

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  Optimize media to reduce resource use

  Include media only when it supports user needs. Manage, optimize, and load media efficiently. Ensure users have control over playback and data use.

• 2.10Semi-automatedUX

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  Ensure animation is proportionate and easy to control

  Use animation sparingly and efficiently, only when it supports understanding, while limiting performance impact and giving users control over motion.

• 2.11Semi-automatedUX

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  Use optimized web typography

  Use font strategies that minimize downloads and complexity while supporting required languages and dynamic content.

• 2.12Manual onlyUX

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  Avoid unwanted notifications

  Send only user-requested notifications and provide clear, accessible controls for managing preferences, opt-in, and account and contact settings.

• 2.13Semi-automatedUX

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  Reduce the impact of downloadable and physical documents

  Reduce paper use through digital-first workflows, optimize and reuse accessible downloadable documents, and provide clear, user-controlled document previews and formats.

• 2.14Manual onlyUX

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  Involve users early in the project

  Define and validate prototypes and interface components through user testing to ensure they work effectively in real-world use cases and across diverse user needs.

• 2.15Manual onlyUX

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  Audit and test for bugs or issues requiring resolution

  Regularly audit for issues or problems, running tests at regular intervals in both simulated and real-world scenarios to ensure stability of the project.

• 2.16Manual onlyUX

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  Validate usability through testing and real-world usage

  Monitor user feedback and real usage to evaluate feature effectiveness, and use usability testing and user research to guide ongoing improvements.

• 2.17Manual onlyUX

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  Provide cross-platform compatibility support

  Document compatibility, avoid unnecessary obsolescence, and test across devices, systems, and network conditions.

• 3.1Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Set goals based on performance and energy impact

  Define performance and environmental targets, and design content with awareness of the relative energy and processing cost.

• 3.2Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Minify and remove unused code

  Minify code and data, and remove unused characters to reduce file size and improve loading efficiency and maintainability.

• 3.3Manual onlyWeb Dev

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  Modularize bandwidth-heavy components

  Split large components into smaller, on-demand modules to improve loading efficiency while balancing maintainability and caching performance.

• 3.4Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Avoid redundancy and duplication in code

  Reduce code duplication through refactoring and reuse, ensure maintainability, and favor evolving existing solutions over rebuilding them.

• 3.5Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Treat third parties the same as first parties

  Minimize and carefully manage third-party services by using lightweight, user-controlled integrations that are loaded only when needed.

• 3.6Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Ensure code follows good semantic practices

  Use standards-compliant HTML and web platform features, and avoid unnecessary complexity or non-standard code.

• 3.7AutomatedWeb Dev

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  Defer the loading of non-critical resources

  Load non-essential assets asynchronously or with prioritization to improve rendering performance and avoid visual issues.

• 3.8AutomatedWeb Dev

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  Structure metadata for machine readability

  Include essential document metadata and structured data to improve usability, accessibility, and machine readability.

• 3.9Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Use media queries that support sustainability goals

  Support user preferences via media queries for color, motion, contrast, data use, and related settings to improve accessibility and efficiency.

• 3.10Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Ensure layouts work for different devices and requirements

  Use responsive, progressively enhanced, and carbon-aware design to ensure accessible, adaptable functionality across devices and interaction methods while managing resource use.

• 3.11Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Use sustainable JavaScript and APIs

  Write efficient JavaScript and use APIs that minimize processing, data use, and energy consumption.

• 3.12Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Use dependencies sparingly and maintain them

  Regularly review dependencies, remove unused or unnecessary libraries and frameworks, and keep required packages up to date. Opt for minimal, secure, and modular solutions.

• 3.13AutomatedWeb Dev

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  Include expected and beneficial files

  Include standard website metadata and configuration files to support discoverability, transparency, and operational best practices.

• 3.14Manual onlyWeb Dev

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  Use the most efficient solution for your service

  Choose lightweight, efficient implementation approaches that balance effort, performance, and environmental impact while favoring simple, native, and static solutions.

• 3.15Semi-automatedWeb Dev

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  Use the latest stable language version

  Use up-to-date technologies and select the most suitable programming language for each task to ensure efficiency and maintainability.

• 3.16Manual onlyWeb Dev

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  Reduce the number and complexity of database queries

  Optimize database use by minimizing and scoping queries, reducing repeated requests, and applying data governance practices.

• 4.1Semi-automatedHosting

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  Use sustainable hosting

  Select and manage infrastructure using sustainability metrics, prioritizing low-carbon energy use and low-impact hosting and domain choices in selection, and extending hardware lifespan and minimising emissions in management.

• 4.2AutomatedHosting

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  Optimize caching and support offline access

  Use caching and offline capabilities to reduce network load, improve resilience, and balance performance with sustainability.

• 4.3AutomatedHosting

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  Reduce data transfer with compression

  Compress server responses and media files to reduce bandwidth, storage use, and delivery overhead while balancing processing costs.

• 4.4AutomatedHosting

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  Setup necessary error pages and redirection links

  Provide clear error handling and ensure broken links are either fixed or redirected to destinations to prevent navigation issues.

• 4.5Manual onlyHosting

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  Avoid maintaining unnecessary virtualized environments or containers

  Remove unnecessary virtualized environments to improve efficiency and maintainability.

• 4.6Manual onlyHosting

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  Use automation wisely

  Automate and scale tasks and infrastructure efficiently, run processes only when needed, and control unwanted traffic.

• 4.7Semi-automatedHosting

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  Define the frequency of data refreshes

  Decide when to refresh data based on a balance of user and sustainability requirements.

• 4.8Manual onlyHosting

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  Back up critical data at routine intervals

  Back up data at regular intervals to ensure that there are failsafes that can be relied upon should an issue occur.

• 4.9Manual onlyHosting

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  Assess the impact and requirements of data processing

  Use carbon-aware scheduling, efficient and secure protocols, and simple system designs to reduce unnecessary processing while balancing performance, security, and constraints.

• 4.10Semi-automatedHosting

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  Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) when beneficial

  Use CDNs and data location strategically for static content and processing only when they improve efficiency and sustainability, while avoiding unnecessary distribution and transfers.

• 4.11Manual onlyHosting

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  Ensure infrastructure fits project requirements

  Use demand-matched, autoscaling infrastructure to meet demand efficiently without overprovisioning.

• 4.12Manual onlyHosting

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  Store data according to the needs of your users

  Regularly manage and reduce stored data (including content, logs, media, and downloads) using retention, compression, and lifecycle policies, while maintaining efficient access to long-term assets.

• 5.1Manual onlyBusiness

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  Have an ethical and sustainable product strategy

  Implement organizational practices around ethics, sustainability, and responsible data use. Publish and maintain policies that demonstrate their implementation.

• 5.2Manual onlyBusiness

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  Assign a sustainability advocate

  Appoint a sustainability advocate who is provided with what they require to speak about and for issues relating to sustainability.

• 5.3Manual onlyBusiness

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  Inform, raise awareness, and train for sustainability

  Provide ongoing training, onboarding, and guidance on sustainability practices, and support participation in sustainability initiatives through clear materials, knowledge sharing, and organizational encouragement.

• 5.4Manual onlyBusiness

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  Communicate the environmental impact of user choices

  Empower users, allowing them to make decisions when their choices can influence the environmental impact they have.

• 5.5Manual onlyBusiness

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  Calculate the environmental impact

  Assess and compare full life cycle environmental impacts, including those of third-party services, to inform sustainable design decisions.

• 5.6Manual onlyBusiness

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  Define clear organizational sustainability goals and metrics

  Define measurable sustainability goals and metrics, and communicate progress over time.

• 5.7Manual onlyBusiness

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  Validate web sustainability efforts through external verification

  Use independent verification to support and improve sustainability claims.

• 5.8Manual onlyBusiness

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  Support mandatory disclosures and reporting

  Publish transparent, standards-aligned sustainability reports that track progress over time and clearly explain real impact reductions without misleading reporting.

• 5.9Manual onlyBusiness

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  Create one or more impact business models

  Describe how revenue generation supports environmental and social outcomes.

• 5.10Manual onlyBusiness

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  Follow a product management and maintenance strategy

  Maintain clear documentation, resourcing, and measurement practices for long-term product support, including security, sustainability, and early detection of failure risks.

• 5.11Manual onlyBusiness

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  Implement continuous improvement procedures

  Maintain continuous improvement processes that balance feature changes, maintenance, and updates with user value and sustainability outcomes.

• 5.12Manual onlyBusiness

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  Document updates and evolutions

  Provide documentation to help users find their way whenever functionality changes.

• 5.13Manual onlyBusiness

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  Evaluate if a digital product or service is necessary

  Assess alignment with sustainability goals, validate product need, and reduce barriers to access, usability, and fairness.

• 5.14Manual onlyBusiness

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  Provide a supplier standards of practice document

  Select and work with suppliers based on sustainability principles, measure their impact, and transparently publish partnership outcomes.

• 5.15Manual onlyBusiness

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  Share economic benefits

  Commit to fair pay, align workers and contractors with shared impact goals, and provide employee benefits within available resources.

• 5.16Manual onlyBusiness

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  Share decision-making power with affected parties

  Involve users and staff in decision-making, ensure human oversight, and provide transparency, and challenge mechanisms for automated decisions.

• 5.17Manual onlyBusiness

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  Use Diversity, Equity, Justice, Inclusion (DEJI) practices

  Publish and act on Diversity, Equity, Justice, Inclusion (DEIJ) and accessibility commitments, support training and measurable progress, and ensure inclusive outcomes across products and operations.

• 5.18Manual onlyBusiness

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  Promote responsible data practices

  Respect user data rights and manage data lifecycle through minimized collection, user control, portability, deletion, and content archiving.

• 5.19Manual onlyBusiness

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  Establish responsible practices around AI and emerging or disruptive technologies

  Ensure responsible use of automated systems by only using ethically sourced and suitably sized data and models, managing environmental impacts, supporting workforce adaptation, respecting user agent controls, and using post-quantum encryption only where justified.

• 5.20Manual onlyBusiness

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  Adopt responsible financial practices

  Adopt responsible financing practices by divesting from high-carbon assets and aligning budgeting and financial partnerships with long-term sustainability.

• 5.21Manual onlyBusiness

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  Adopt organizational philanthropy practices

  Align partnerships and corporate giving with the organization's purpose, and support skill-building voluntary and pro bono work through clear partnership and giving policies.

• 5.22Manual onlyBusiness

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  Plan for a digital product or service's care and end-of-life

  Document when a project is shut down and make users aware of what will happen to their data.

• 5.23Manual onlyBusiness

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  Repair, reuse, refurbish, recycle or reduce e-waste

  Prioritize repair, reuse, refurbishment, and responsible recycling of hardware and e-waste through certified services, including supporting users doing repairs.

• 5.24Manual onlyBusiness

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  Define performance, environmental, and human budgets

  Define and apply lifecycle sustainability and performance budgets, set evidence-based KPIs, and track measurable improvements over time.

• 5.25Manual onlyBusiness

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  Use and contribute to open source

  Define and maintain an open-source policy and actively contribute to open-source communities through code, time, and financial or in-kind support.

• 5.26Manual onlyBusiness

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  Create a business continuity and disaster recovery plan

  Maintain tested incident response plans and communicate transparently with users about service issues, risks, and recovery.