Cross Browser Testing and Compatibility
Ensure your web application delivers optimal performance across various browsers through cross browser testing
What is Cross Browser Testing?
Cross-browser testing is the important process of ensuring the website functions as expected across different browsers. There are various browsers available in the digital platform, cross browser testing guarantees the website or web application performs regardless of browser type and devices. As web application compatibility becomes increasingly crucial in a globalized digital landscape, adhering to standardized practices is essential to retain customers.
- Various Browsers – OS Configuration: Such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS are challenged to developers to optimize the web compatibility.
- Multiple Devices – Testing across devices such as multiple desktops screens, smartphones, tablets and laptops are mandatory to deliver the quality assured web application.
Why is Cross-Browser Testing more Important Now Than Ever?
In the evolving digital landscape, there is a need for adapting new technologies. Users are well-experienced in using multiple applications and enjoying its performance on their devices. If the application is not rendering on their devices perfectly, they simply switch to another application. So, it is important to offer seamless web application experience that must be compatible for their devices and browsers.
- As per the report by Statista, currently chrome holds the top position with a 65.4% browser market share. Followed by safari and Firefox holds the next position with 18.7% and 7.1% browser market share respectively.
- In India, Safari takes the lead on mobile with 50.6%, while Chrome dominates desktops at 73.2% (Statcounter, January 2024).
Before releasing your web application it’s crucial to ensure that it has optimized performance for diverse browsers and operating systems. To retain your customers, cross browser testing helps to identify the browser rendering errors and ensures the web application is compatible to all users.
TestWheel is such a tool that provides AI-enabled cross-browser testing and provides all the features mentioned above.
Understanding Cross Browser Compatibility Issues
Cross browser compatibility issues arise depending on how the browser renders the codes and displays the web content. Each browser engine has its own rendering style based on the programming language used in that website (Such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript). It is essential developers overcome this issue and ensure the web applications function appropriately with different browsers.
To enhance the user experience, it is recommended to provide attention regarding HTML and CSS properties. Running cross browser testing plays an important role in helping to quickly identify the potential errors and deliver the bug free we applications.
Why is Cross-Browser Testing a Requirement, Not Just a Suggestion?
In web development, not testing across different browsers leads to lower-quality products.
- Bugs: Users can get frustrated, and your brand reputation may suffer when there are inconsistencies in how your website looks, layout problems, and functional issues across different browsers.
- Lost conversions: A buggy website on a popular browser can mean lost sales, leads, and engagement.
- Release Delays: Unexpected browser issues can disrupt launch timelines, consuming valuable time and resources.
Types of Cross Browser Testing
There are two primary approaches to run Cross-Brower testing
- Manual Cross Browser Testing
- Automated Cross Browser Testing
Manual Cross Browser Testing
Manual cross-browser testing, often referred to as a traditional testing method, involves testers manually inspecting the functionality of web applications and how they interact with different browsers. In the past, there were only a few browser requirements. Software testers install the required browsers and execute the tests. However, with the evolvement of browsers, manual testing has become time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Despite its drawbacks in efficiency, manual testing remains an ideal option for smaller-scale projects or when a limited number of browsers need to be considered.
Automated Cross Browser Testing
The requirement of automated cross browser testing emerged when multiple browsers, devices and operating systems are used by customers. In this situation, manual testing becomes tedious and technically complex for testers. When developing a large application, an organization that aims to deliver quality assured applications, choosing automated cross browsing testing is the ideal option.
Significantly, automated cross browser testing reduces the time and effort and allows the testers to test on multiple environments and completes the test run quickly for larger applications.
One such tool which supports parallel testing and cloud-based combinations of environments is TestWheel.
How TestWheel Automated Cross Browser Testing Works
TestWheel automated cross browsing testing works on cloud-based engineering which provides a scalable and efficient testing environment in simple steps.
- Cloud-Based Infrastructure:
TestWheel’s cloud-based infrastructure offers diverse browsers which simplifies the tester workload. Users can access TestWheel application remotely and eliminates the time consuming for installing third-party applications. - Create Application: Simply create an application and upload your test scripts which includes your testing environments and test scenario.
- Select Browser: Select the required browser and trigger test. TestWheel allows parallel testing, users can select different browsers for the same test script.
- Generate Test Report:
Generate the test report in different formats such as PDF, images and videos. These reports include details on test pass/fail status, screenshots, browser logs, and other relevant information.
