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Focus Traps: The Fastest Way to Lose Keyboard Users

Focus traps are one of the most damaging failures because they completely block progress. In production, they often appear in modals, drawers, or custom widgets without close controls.

How to test

1. Open the modal using only the keyboard.
2. Attempt to tab outside the modal or close it with Escape.
3. Confirm that focus returns to the trigger after closing.

Fix strategy

• Add a keyboard-accessible close button.
• Implement Escape handling and focus restoration.
• Use a focus trap library only when necessary.