Cross browser testing - seems complicated enough? Well, if complexities and ‘something difficult to deal with’ comes to your mind when you think of cross browser testing, then odds are high that you are not doing it right. Cross browser testing is an essential aspect of software testing these days. It is at the very heart of the functionality of a website or web application and is no longer something optional.
It involves testing your website or web application to see if it works well across a different variety of browsers or not. You never know what browser or operating system your user may be using to access your portal after all.
However it is not that simple and sorted. You need to be aware of all the tools, techniques and methods involved. Apart from knowing 'how' to do it, you must know 'when' to do it.
The purpose of this post is to dig deep into cross browser testing as a process and aim at identifying the perfect or the right time for getting it done. The post aims at optimizing the strategy for cross browser testing so that the process adds to the value of the end product while minimizing the time, energy, efforts and resources spent.
Not only will this save you from a lot of backtracking later, but also ease the further process of testing other aspects of the website. However, in case you want to postpone it you may wait till the time website develops functionality and is fully integrated.
Cross browser testing has become an absolute necessity for website development these days. The number of browsers available today is overwhelming and the user trends, although analyzed well, cannot be trusted completely. The trends may be biased towards Google Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox but a loner in some corner of the world may still be stuck on Internet Explorer! Hence, taking fatal risks for your business may not be a good idea in such a scenario.
Also, before getting started you must define the objectives of cross browser testing and get your requirements and aims sorted. Moving forward without any fixed aim may render the process useless, irrespective of the time, and may not fetch desirable results. In a majority of the cases, cross browser testing is aimed at-
1. Identifying bugs - Cross browser testing is aimed at breaking the application and judging all the possible aspects to locate the bugs.
2. Sanity Check - Making sure that your website works well irrespective of the platform is at the very heart of cross browser testing.
3. Enhancing The User Experience - Enhancing the user experience and increasing the usability cum accessibility of the website is another wide aim of cross browser testing.
You can get started with the development of the application and simultaneously get the prerequisites for cross browser testing done. You can prepare the browser compatibility matrix in this phase and decide what cross browser testing tools you are going to use. A lot of online cross browser testing tools are available today that can simplify your job a lot and save a lot of crucial time.
LambdaTest is one such tool that gives you an instant real time access to more than 2000 browsers and operating system combinations. This online browser compatibility testing tool can also help you capture automated screenshots along with testing your website on various mobile and desktop browsers.
In the next phase, you may test your website or application in a restricted environment on most readily available browsers, or the most popular ones with the largest user base. You may use various online trend analyzing tools like Google Analytics to shortlist the browsers and understand user likes and dislikes.
Then in the last and final step, you can extend your reach and test your application on all the possible browsers your audience may use to access your application.
Thus, it can be concluded that cross browser testing requires a planned, strategic and subjective approach. The sooner you get started with it, the better. After all, it is rightly said that more than identifying bugs and preparing test reports, testing is about strategizing the process and optimizing the whole affair.
However it is not that simple and sorted. You need to be aware of all the tools, techniques and methods involved. Apart from knowing 'how' to do it, you must know 'when' to do it.
Cross Browser Testing - An Ecosystem
Cross browser testing in itself comes with a lot of aspects. It is an ecosystem in itself and needs to be a well-planned process. It has some prerequisites as well. Thus, as evident you cannot just get started with development and suddenly decide to perform cross browser testing whenever you want.The purpose of this post is to dig deep into cross browser testing as a process and aim at identifying the perfect or the right time for getting it done. The post aims at optimizing the strategy for cross browser testing so that the process adds to the value of the end product while minimizing the time, energy, efforts and resources spent.
The Sooner the Better
Well, talking about the right time to start cross browser testing, we can safely assume that the earlier the better. If you are looking forward to reaping benefits from any kind of testing, not just cross browser testing, you need to get started with it as early as possible. Thus, it is recommended that you get started with it as early as the page designs are available!Not only will this save you from a lot of backtracking later, but also ease the further process of testing other aspects of the website. However, in case you want to postpone it you may wait till the time website develops functionality and is fully integrated.
How Late Is Too Late?
In case you were new to website development and did not pay heed to cross browser testing in the earlier stages, you may do it later when the website or the application is in production. However, this may come with a lot of additional cost and involves risks. Hence, it is the least recommended of all.Cross browser testing has become an absolute necessity for website development these days. The number of browsers available today is overwhelming and the user trends, although analyzed well, cannot be trusted completely. The trends may be biased towards Google Chrome, Safari and Mozilla Firefox but a loner in some corner of the world may still be stuck on Internet Explorer! Hence, taking fatal risks for your business may not be a good idea in such a scenario.
Also, before getting started you must define the objectives of cross browser testing and get your requirements and aims sorted. Moving forward without any fixed aim may render the process useless, irrespective of the time, and may not fetch desirable results. In a majority of the cases, cross browser testing is aimed at-
1. Identifying bugs - Cross browser testing is aimed at breaking the application and judging all the possible aspects to locate the bugs.
2. Sanity Check - Making sure that your website works well irrespective of the platform is at the very heart of cross browser testing.
3. Enhancing The User Experience - Enhancing the user experience and increasing the usability cum accessibility of the website is another wide aim of cross browser testing.
Doing it in Phases
You may have invested a lot into the development of your dream software project but its inability to work flawlessly regardless of the platform may ruin it all. Hence, it is crucial that you develop a suitable plan for cross browser testing. In case you are finding it difficult to decide the right time for cross browser testing altogether, you may divide it into parts or levels and keep performing it in phases as your website proceeds towards completion.You can get started with the development of the application and simultaneously get the prerequisites for cross browser testing done. You can prepare the browser compatibility matrix in this phase and decide what cross browser testing tools you are going to use. A lot of online cross browser testing tools are available today that can simplify your job a lot and save a lot of crucial time.
LambdaTest is one such tool that gives you an instant real time access to more than 2000 browsers and operating system combinations. This online browser compatibility testing tool can also help you capture automated screenshots along with testing your website on various mobile and desktop browsers.
In the next phase, you may test your website or application in a restricted environment on most readily available browsers, or the most popular ones with the largest user base. You may use various online trend analyzing tools like Google Analytics to shortlist the browsers and understand user likes and dislikes.
Then in the last and final step, you can extend your reach and test your application on all the possible browsers your audience may use to access your application.
Thus, it can be concluded that cross browser testing requires a planned, strategic and subjective approach. The sooner you get started with it, the better. After all, it is rightly said that more than identifying bugs and preparing test reports, testing is about strategizing the process and optimizing the whole affair.
Additional Tip
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Ashutosh Jha
Ashutosh Jha is a professional blogger, Blog and IT Consultant. He writes about Blogging, SEO, Making Money, Internet Marketing and Web Design.
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