Apple has released Safari Technology Preview 237, bringing a host of improvements to web developers and users alike. Available for download on macOS Tahoe and macOS Sequoia, this update introduces new features and resolves numerous bugs across accessibility, CSS, DOM, HTML, networking, rendering, and SVG. Existing users can update via System Settings > General > Software Update. Let's dive into the key changes included in this release.
Accessibility
Several important fixes enhance the accessibility of web content, ensuring a more inclusive browsing experience.
Resolved Issues
- Slot elements and
aria-labelledby: Fixed slot elements referenced byaria-labelledbyto correctly use their assigned slotted content for accessible names while ignoring hidden slotted nodes. This ensures screen readers present the right information. - Consistent labels for
<meter>elements: The<meter>element now has consistent accessible labels betweenaria-labelandtitleattributes, eliminating confusion. - Content in shadow roots with
display: contents: Elements withdisplay: contentsand content inside a shadow root are now properly read by assistive technologies when referenced byaria-labelledby. - Checkbox naming via
<label>: When a checkbox name comes from an associated<label>element,aria-labelledbynow uses the checkbox name instead of its value. - Grid elements in shadow roots and VoiceOver: Grid elements with child rows inside a shadow root now work correctly with VoiceOver.
- Hidden attributes and form controls: Elements with
aria-controlsoraria-expandedand thehiddenattribute no longer appear in VoiceOver’s Form Control menu. ::first-lettertext exposure: The::first-letterpseudo-element’s text is now exposed in the accessibility tree even when no other text accompanies it.
CSS
CSS receives a major new pseudo-class selector and several crucial bug fixes.
New Features
:headingpseudo-class selector: Added support for the:headingpseudo-class selector, allowing developers to style any heading element (h1throughh6) with a single rule.
Resolved Issues
- CSS
@scopeand form elements: Fixed an issue where CSS rules within@scopewere not being applied to<input>and<textarea>elements. - Dynamic
flow-tolerancechanges: Dynamic changes to theflow-toleranceproperty now trigger a relayout fordisplay: grid-lanes.
DOM
Resolved Issues
offsetXandoffsetYfor SVG elements: Fixed coordinate calculation for SVG elements when usingoffsetXandoffsetY— they now use the outermost SVG as the base.
HTML
New Features
sourceattribute onToggleEvent: Added support for thesourceattribute on theToggleEventinterface, enhancing event handling for toggleable elements.
Networking
Resolved Issues
X-Frame-Optionsvalidation: Fixed theX-Frame-Optionsheader to only strip tab or space characters, not vertical tabs, aligning with standards.- Range request validation: Range request validation now properly handles HTTP 416 (Requested Range Not Satisfiable) responses.
Rendering
Resolved Issues
- Table rendering with rowspanned cells: Fixed table rendering for cells with
rowspanto correctly display bottom border color. <marquee>and table widths: The deprecated<marquee>element no longer causes incorrect table width calculations.visibility: collapseon columns: Table layout now properly handlesvisibility: collapseon columns.- Intrinsic sizing for replaced elements: Fixed intrinsic sizing for absolutely positioned replaced elements (e.g., images).
- Percentage padding in table cells: Percentage padding in table cells now resolves against column widths, not the cell’s own width.
- Table height distribution: Height distribution now applies to all
tbodysections, not just the first one.
SVG
New Features
color-interpolationfor SVG gradients: Added support for thecolor-interpolationattribute for SVG gradients, allowing finer control over color rendering in gradients.
For the complete list of changes, refer to the WebKit changelog from revision 305774 to 306595. Safari Technology Preview 237 continues Apple’s commitment to improving web standards and developer tools.