Focus Order

Focus order is the sequence in which interactive elements receive keyboard focus as someone moves through a webpage, usually with the Tab key. The order should preserve meaning and allow people to operate forms, menus, and buttons without getting lost. For example, a quote request form should not jump from a name field to a footer link and back to the next form field. Visual layouts can be rearranged with CSS, so the sequence needs to be checked in the working page rather than assumed from its appearance. A focus indicator is the visible cue showing which element is active; focus order is the sequence itself. Both affect keyboard usability but solve different problems.