When building a website or an online application it is vital to ensure that it runs smoothly and reliably on all web browsers. Testing your app thoroughly across multiple devices and browsers is known as cross-browser compatibility testing. This entails making sure that the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript codes on the website are compatible with various browsers.
Users may have functionality problems if a website is incompatible with a specific browser, causing them to quit the website or go to a competitor’s website. The reputation and brand image of a company may suffer as a result. Additionally, it can mean that certain users won’t be allowed to use the site at all.
This tutorial aims to provide a few guidelines to explore browser compatibility testing. It will help you understand the factors contributing to cross-browser compatibility issues and guide you in performing proper cross browser testing to ensure optimal user experience across all browsers.
What Is Cross-Browser Compatibility Testing?
Cross-browser compatibility testing, which belongs to the non-functional testing category, is concerned with ensuring that users can access the key features and functions of your website on various browser-OS combinations, devices, and assistive technologies.
Why is Cross-Browser Compatibility Testing Important?
Performing cross-browser compatibility testing is crucial for ensuring that your website remains accessible to many users across browsers and browser versions. Your website visitors may employ various web browsers and devices, and if your website is compatible with their chosen platform, they are more likely to stay and engage. Failing to accommodate different browsers could lead to losing potential customers or users.
Apart from accessibility, cross-browser compatibility testing also guarantees that your website’s functionality and design maintain consistency across all browsers. Different browsers may interpret your website differently, potentially causing layout issues, broken links, or other problems that could adversely impact user experience.
Additionally, cross-browser compatibility testing helps you steer clear of legal issues related to website accessibility. Many countries have laws mandating websites accessible to individuals with disabilities, and non-compliance can lead to legal consequences. By conducting thorough cross-browser testing, you can ensure your website meets the necessary accessibility standards and avoid potential legal repercussions.
What Exactly Are Browser Compatibility Issues?
During the early days of the internet, browser developers prioritized their corporate demands over adhering to web standards. As a result, web developers had to resort to hacks and invest significant effort to ensure their websites worked on the most popular browsers. While these concerns have diminished over time, they still linger to some extent, much to the relief of web developers worldwide.
However, subtler concerns persist. Modern online applications rely on the latest capabilities, and cloud-based cross-browser testing tool compatibility issues with older browsers can arise. Thorough cross-browser testing becomes essential as these issues can disrupt the site’s functionality and lead to a negative user experience. Identifying and addressing these concerns early during cross-browser testing is crucial for maintaining a seamless user experience.
How To Perform Cross-Browser Testing?
Cross-browser compatibility testing can be carried out through two approaches: the manual method and automation. Knowing when and how to choose a particular testing approach is crucial to ensure effective testing. You may benefit from Manual or Automation cross-browser testing depending on the specific requirements and scenarios.
- Manual cross-browser testing – When embarking on cross-browser testing, it’s crucial to determine the extent of manual testing required. Manual testing involves testers or a team executing test cases manually on each browser, documenting the results, and tracking bugs. This process can be tedious and exhausting. Manual testing may range from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the project’s requirements.
- Automated cross-browser testing – In contrast to manual testing, automation testing significantly reduces the time and effort required. Automation testing relies on automation testing platforms, requiring minimal manual labor while efficiently performing tests. With automation, you can conduct cross-browser testing across thousands of browsers, operating systems, and combinations.
Furthermore, automation proves more advantageous when dealing with cross-browser testing, especially when assessing functionality across various browsers, operating systems, and devices. It delivers precise and rapid results, regardless of the test complexity and the testing environment’s intricacy.
How To Strategize Cross-Browser Testing?
To conduct cross-browser testing effectively, thorough research and planning are essential. Firstly, identify your target audience and determine which browsers they use. The primary objective of a cloud-based cross-browser testing tool is to discover and address bugs and ensure the website’s sanity across different platforms.
The testing process generally involves three main steps:
- Developing the website: During development, it is crucial to keep a specific audience, devices, and purpose in mind to cater to the intended users effectively.
- Local environment testing: After the development phase, developers hand over the website to testers to conduct testing in a local environment before deploying it.
- Testing on various browsers: The website is tested on all probable browsers and web environments that the target audience could use to access it after passing the local environment testing (level 2) by the tester. This process guarantees full cross-browser compatibility.
Concluded Thoughts
In conclusion, customer happiness is a significant factor in determining the success of an online company. Common user experience issues are commonly brought on by cross-browser incompatibility. Therefore, it is essential to address these compatibility issues before making the product available to customers. Cross-browser testing must be prioritized to lower the risk of publishing a website or web application that might lead to a bad user experience. You can launch your product with the confidence you need thanks to a dedicated cross-browser testing process, safeguarding both your customers and the success of your business.
