With the passage of time, browsers, operating systems, and devices are continually changed and this makes cross browser testing even more difficult. Cross browser testing is challenging due to multiple device-browser and operating system combinations. The growing number of updated versions adds to the intricacy. The correct testing platform may make things a lot easier for you as well as your team.
What is cross-browser testing?
It is a practice of ensuring that your web application is compatible with all devices and major browsers. This is done by testing your web application across several browsers. The procedure also includes testing the application’s operation and design which includes screen resolution, layout and screen size. It forms a necessary part of any testing procedure. So, in this article, we will go through the most fundamental criteria for selecting a solid and reliable cross-browser testing platform.
Top 7 factors to consider before you choose a cross-browser testing platform
Despite the fact that you might have tested the program on what you believed was the most recent versions of Firefox, Edge or Chrome, you might have overlooked browsers like UC Browser, Internet Explorer, Opera Mini, or any of the dozens of different browsers and their versions used on various mobile devices and desktops. A cross-browser testing tool, of course, is the answer to this problem. To guarantee that the cross-browser testing platform you choose is the only one you will need, we’ve compiled a list of points to magnify while you consider your options.
1. Cloud-based platform
For cross-browser testing, cloud-based test automation solutions are optimal. They are extremely scalable, enable hassle-free integration of various open-source tools and are easily accessible. They also provide parallel testing on different device browser combinations, as well as continuous testing, and CI/CD integration DevOps, allowing for rapid testing. Regular testing also aids in performance optimization and gives reliable cross-browser testing outcomes. As a consequence, for reliable testing results, many QA teams use a cloud-based testing technology. With a cloud-based testing platform, you will be able to test remotely and you can also perform automated tests in parallel rather than sequentially. This feature may increase the number of tests you run as well as the pace at which you run them. This benefit is only available on cloud-based cross-browser testing platforms.
2. Integrated analytical tools
Analyzing the devices, browsers and operating systems used by your customers is critical before beginning to prepare test cases. This will assist you in creating a device list that includes the details of browsers and devices that your target market uses. As a result, analytic tools give the essential information to choose the appropriate collection of devices for the consumer base. Hence, you will be able to select a test automation platform that allows you to integrate analytical and reporting tools. Therefore, analytic tools are critical for cross-browser testing. For instance: Google Analytics allows you to watch user activity and see how much traffic your website receives. Google Analytics also provides detailed information on user activity, including operating systems and the browsers the target-audience used to access your app. You may keep adjusting your browser testing priority using this data. The more traffic you receive from a certain operating system or browser, the more you will want to test your website on that particular configuration.
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3. Automation and devices used
Although manual testing has its purpose, automation is required to make testing more efficient, seamless and productive. Test cases that are redundant, such as cross-browser testing, must be automated. Many combinations of operating system and device browsers are tested in cross-browser testing. This necessitates the use of a Selenium Grid test automation tool in order to test several combinations simultaneously. As a result, the most fundamental and critical need for cross browser testing is automation. Though real devices are preferable for usability testing, simulators and emulators are good for regression and automated testing, as they may significantly reduce testing time. Real devices, simulators and emulators are all part of an effective and solid cross-browser testing solution. Therefore, you must have a close look at them before you pick your cross browser testing platform.
4. Scalability and other features
Because markets are updated regularly with new browser and device versions, choosing a highly scalable cross browser testing solution can be difficult. Therefore, the platform that you are looking for should allow you to add or delete devices depending upon the requirements of the project, resulting in a cost-effective solution. A cloud-based test automation solution is highly suggested since it is very scalable and selecting devices is as simple as clicking a few buttons. Features like Secure Tunnel Technology should be looked for because with this functionality, you’ll be able to test safely over a proxy, behind a firewall, or on local files. This technology is essential for testing a website that has not been released yet to the general public, such as new or significantly redesigned website designs.
5. Popularity
Every day, a fresh update raps on the door of technological advancement. We need to think about everything, whether it’s a newer version of an old app or an entirely new app. Based on this popularity, you must prioritize testing. The goal is to get the maximum possible device test coverage with the least amount of time and effort. The top desktop browsers, for example, are the newest five versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari (for macOS users or and Internet Explorer (for Windows users) or; mobile browsers include Safari, Chrome, and the default Samsung browsers for mobile. The level of popularity varies from one area to the next. As a result, just because a browser is popular in North America does not mean it will be popular in Europe. Depending on where they live, people have varied interests and priorities. Websites like W3C, Statcounter, Wikimedia and NetMarketShare help keep you up to speed on the current developments in browser and device popularity.
6. Support Team
When utilizing any online platform, you might come across a few queries, issues, ideas – or the need for immediate assistance! You can only picture the horror of what may happen if you genuinely need something immediately if a corporation doesn’t react to your straightforward queries. Make sure that the cross-browser testing platform that you choose helps you right away. Their support staff should respond to each and every query or email with a personalized response. Issues should be quickly fixed by a solutions adviser or a developer, ensuring that you get high-quality assistance from someone who understands what they’re doing. In addition to this, your clients may repeatedly name a few browsers or gadgets that cause issues. These issues must be handled as soon as possible, thus they should be maintained at the top of the testing priority list.
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7. Parallel Testing
We all know that cross-browser testing involves testing several combinations of browsers, devices, and operating systems simultaneously. As a result, parallel testing is a critical component of cross-browser testing. Cross-browser testing may be done using tools like Selenium Grid, which lets you to analyze your application on devices and multiple browsers at the same time. As a result, open-source technologies such as Selenium WebDriver and Selenium Grid may simply be incorporated with any test automation platform. You may also utilize cloud-based cross-browser testing solutions that are extremely scalable and can give you a number of device and browser combinations as well as the ability to test on several devices at the same time. Therefore, you must look for a platform that provides you with this feature.
Not all browser-testing platforms are made equal, as you can see from the list of factors. Some are great and can be easily added to your browser-testing toolkit, but the one you want to go with is the one that can easily replace all of them while also giving supreme functions, extra features, and high satisfaction levels. You may go in for LambdaTest – a cross browser testing platform that allows testing on various desktop and mobile browsers. The platform can perform automated, live as well as interactive cross browser testing. This can be done on 3000+ online operating systems and real browsers. You may pick from a variety of Mac and Windows operating systems, as well as all of the previous and current browsers. In addition to this, be sure to test your website or web application on the most recent mobile browsers for Android and iOS. Cross browser testing has become more important since browsers and operating systems are often updated in the technologically-advanced era. It is also important for improving the quality of mobile applications.
To cope with the complications of cross-browser testing, we need to devise techniques and use relevant technologies to simplify the process. So, you must establish a list of all the critical things to consider when selecting a cross-browser testing tool, as outlined in the article above.
