Why is color contrast used in web accessibility?

Color contrast is crucial in web accessibility primarily because it directly affects the readability of text against various background colors. Adequate contrast between text and its background ensures that all users, including those with visual impairments such as color blindness or low vision, can read content with ease. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide specific standards for contrast ratios that help designers and developers create accessible content that is legible for a wider audience.

Focusing on attractive background colors does not necessarily contribute to accessibility if the text remains unreadable due to insufficient contrast. Similarly, minimizing the use of color might not enhance accessibility and could limit the expressiveness of a web design without addressing the core issue of contrast. Lastly, while improving performance is important for web pages, it is not related to color contrast; performance refers to how quickly content loads and responds, rather than how easily it can be read. Thus, ensuring appropriate color contrast is fundamentally about enhancing the readability and accessibility of text for all users.