As per Statista, as of February 2023, there are 1.13 billion websites in the world, out of which 200 million are active. However, as per research, 88% of users will not visit a website if it offers a poor experience. With this staggering number of app releases, navigating the fiercely competitive environment becomes a significant challenge. The key to survival in this cutthroat landscape lies in ensuring exceptional performance across browsers. If your website renders well in one browser but does not display properly in another browser or loads slowly, users may go to an alternative website that offers a better experience.

Enter cross-browser compatibility testing—a crucial ally in ensuring that your website offers consistent performance across all environments. The demand for a seamless user experience has never been higher. Therefore, we have made a comprehensive guide on cross-browser compatibility testing essential for businesses. In this blog, we will unravel the intricacies of testing browser compatibility to foster a digital realm where every user is met with excellence.

What is Cross-Browser Compatibility Testing?

Cross-browser compatibility testing involves ensuring how a website or web application is working on various web browsers during the web development process. This process involves thorough testing to guarantee consistent and accurate functionality and appearance across different browsers and their versions. Because different web browsers interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code differently, therefore discrepancies can arise, impacting how a website appears and functions. This variation can pose challenges for users accessing the site through different browsers.

This process helps confirm that your web application operates efficiently across a variety of browsers, operating systems, devices, and assistive tools. This verification guarantees a uniform and dependable user experience, regardless of the platform users opt for when accessing your website.

Types of Cross-Browser Testing

Various types of cross-browser compatibility testing play essential roles in ensuring the optimal performance of websites. These include:

1. Functional Testing: Checks the proper functioning of interactive features across different browsers, ensuring elements like forms, buttons, navigation menus, and scripting interactions work as intended.
2. Visual Testing: Focuses on the visual elements, confirming consistent display of fonts, colors, layouts, and images without any glitches or misalignments across various browsers and devices.
3. Performance Testing: Assesses website loading speed and responsiveness on different browsers and devices, examining factors such as page load times, responsiveness on varied screen sizes, and performance with resource-intensive features.
4. Cross-Device Testing: Ensures proper functionality across diverse devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, with considerations for touch interactions, screen resolutions, and device orientations.
5. Cross-Platform Testing: Checks compatibility across different operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS) and browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox), ensuring consistent functionality.
6. Browser Version Testing: Involves testing on various versions of specific browsers to ensure compatibility, including older versions like Internet Explorer 11, Firefox, or Chrome, catering to users who haven’t updated.
7. Accessibility Testing: Ensures the website is usable for people with disabilities, following accessibility standards like WCAG. Tests cover keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and the use of ARIA attributes.
8. Security Testing: Verifies that security features and protocols are consistent across browsers and platforms, including SSL certificate implementation, secure login forms, and effective security headers like Content Security Policy (CSP).

When Should You Perform Cross-Browser Testing?

Cross-browser testing is done at specific points in the development and release process, depending on your role and workflow. Here are the ideal times:

During Development:

• Developers include cross-browser testing in their Continuous Integration pipelines before deploying changes to the live environment.
• This helps catch and fix cross-browser compatibility issues early, reducing the risk of problems in the final product

In Staging/Pre-Release:

• Quality assurance teams conduct cross-browser testing on the most recent version of the application to ensure it works well on various browsers.
• Testing at this stage helps identify and fix any compatibility issues before the product is officially launched.
• QA teams focus on assessing functionality, design, and the overall user experience across different browsers, ensuring a smooth experience for all users.

Benefits of Cross-Browser Testing

Cross-browser testing offers several advantages, including:

• Consistent User Experience: Ensures a uniform user experience across different browsers and devices.
• Early Detection of Browser Issues: Identifies and addresses browser-related problems early in the development cycle.
• Adaptability to New Devices and OS: Maintains website performance even with the introduction of new device and operating system combinations.
• Prevention of Browser-Specific Interference: Ensures that browser-specific functionalities do not disrupt the end-user experience.
• Appropriate Browser Response: Verifies that every browser responds appropriately to changes in features or functionality.
• Responsive Design Across Devices and OS: Provides a responsive design that caters to users across various devices and operating systems.

Conclusion

Cross-browser testing has become a critical practice in today’s web development scenario. Businesses now recognize that it’s important to select the right browser testing tool to proactively detect and address issues during the development process to minimize the risk of user dissatisfaction.

Source: This article was originally published at webfactoryltd.com