Website Responsibility Scanner

An open-source tool for checking how sustainable & accessible websites really are

Most people have no idea that their websites pump out more carbon emissions than they’d like, and even when they do, they’re usually left scratching their heads about what to do about it. Meanwhile, even with new rules like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in play, accessibility is still too often overlooked or thrown aside as too difficult to manage. The auditing tools that are out there aren’t helping either: they’re expensive, closed-source, or both, which leaves smaller agencies, non-profits, and independent devs out in the cold.

We want to change that. This project is about building an open-source website scanner that checks both sustainability and accessibility. On the sustainability side, it will check things like page weight, image and script optimization, caching effectiveness, and whether your hosting is actually green. For accessibility, it will check for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). And when it finds a problem, it will give you clear, practical guidance instead of just spitting out technical jargon.

The architecture is going to be modular, so every check is self-contained. A backend does the scanning and provides an API, while a frontend makes it easy to run audits and see what’s going on. All checks will come with solid documentation: what they do, why it matters, and how to fix things. You can run the tool locally, add new features, or even self-host it yourself – no gatekeeping, no hidden fees. Just a tool that can help everyone build a better web.

Target Audience

• TL;DR: If you know how to code, design, write, or break down tough concepts into everyday language, we’ve got a spot for you.
• PHP Developers: You’ll build the checks and provide them over an API.
• Designers and JavaScript Developers: You’ll shape a frontend that will turn complicated scan results into a clean interface easy for everyone to use.
• Subject-Matter Experts: You know the WCAG, are familiar with the EAA, or have a passion for web sustainability. Your job is to make sure every check we run is actually useful.
• Content Writers: You explain what each check does, why it’s important, and how to fix problems in simple language anyone can follow.
• Technical Writers: You write straightforward documentation on self-hosting, contributing, and using the API, so nobody gets lost.
• Marketers: You create quick-start guides and materials so teams can jump in and get moving right after the hackathon.

Hackathon Goals

1. Develop an MVP able to scan any given URL and generate a report.
2. Ensure users can access results through a simple, user-friendly interface.
3. Add checks to validate sustainability. The team will decide which specific checks to include based on everyone’s expertise.
4. Add checks to validate accessibility based on WCAG standards.
5. Give concrete, actionable suggestions for every issue the tool detects, with clear guidance on how to resolve them.
6. Provide detailed documentation for each check: what it does, why it is important, and how users can make improvements.