In this internet-dominated globalization, businesses need a solid digital presence to succeed. Traffic is the key to customer attraction. You need a flawless website, web application, or mobile application. One of the prominent targets of modern businesses is to make their web presence as glitch-free as possible. Users shouldn’t encounter issues while accessing their content or platform, or they will be quick to hop on to a competitor.

Customers all over the world use different browsers to navigate their chosen applications. While Chrome, Firefox, and Safari are the most commonly used browsers, we shouldn’t disregard the presence of the less known options. A web platform should flawlessly work on all browsers with their different versions.

This post will offer some in-depth insights into automated cross-browser testing. We’ll start with what it is, why it is important, and move on to some other fundamentals and automated cross browser testing tools. Let’s take a look.

What is automated cross-browser testing?

It is the process of testing a web application to make sure its behavior is as expected no matter which browser it runs on. Automated cross-browser testing comes under the end-to-end testing category which includes verifying an application just like a real-world user would interact with it.

Importance of Automated Cross-Browser Testing

As we already know, manual testing is resource and time-intensive. That is why it’s important to replace as many manual processes as possible with automation. If potential customers don’t have the browser on which a website or a web application works, they will lose interest in the product altogether. After all, who would want to allocate their valuable time downloading another browser when the competitors are just a click away!

Automated cross-browser testing addresses incompatibilities with device browser combination, OS combination, form factor, screen size, and so on. It involves testing a product, including different mixes of operating systems, browsers, and devices.

Automated cross-browser testing prevents distortion of the GUI of an application and responsiveness issues. The more browsers an application holds compatibility with, the higher the number of users it’s going to get. As a result, this will directly enhance the ROI.

Importance of Testing in Multiple Browsers

Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are not the only ones, for crying out loud! Of course, statistics make Chrome the victorious one. But that doesn’t diminish the market position of other browsers and their browser versions.

Even if Chrome is leading the browser market right now, there is no guarantee that things are going to be the same forever. Wasn’t Netscape once the top choice only to be replaced by the reign of Internet Explorer?

But if you test your platform against maximum browsers and their versions, you have an invisible layer of protection and resistance against sudden browser uprisings or downfalls.

Some other common benefits that highlight the importance of automated cross-browser testing include speedy risk mitigation at early stages, shorter release cycles, better accuracy and test coverage, and a higher cost and time efficiency.

The focus is on eliminating customer attrition, inducing leanness in organizations, and drives emphasis on innovation. Instead of constantly working to debug a broken UI, Quality Assurance professionals can utilize their brain power in developing pragmatic solutions.

Benefits of Automated Cross Browser Testing: Why It Is An Absolute Must In Today’s World

The dependency on the internet has reason to a great extent in the present day scenario. The trend is likely to continue at the same pace which is why automated cross browser testing is going to be more important than ever. Let’s check out some striking benefits it offers and why it is an absolute must in today’s world.

Save Money, Time, and Other Resources

Completely relying on manual testing results in repetitive and Monday in tests. These can be time-consuming and monotonous for testers. However, if you identify, recognize, and automate some common tests, testers won’t need to run them again and again. This helps save a lot of time and money. At the same time, testers can focus on tasks that require actual human intelligence.

Automation also enables the simultaneous execution of tests. As we already know that scalability is one of the biggest challenges of automation testing. It’s time-consuming for testers to execute tests across end number of combinations of various operating systems, browsers, browser versions, and devices in platforms.

Moreover, if a hotfix or a new build needs testing, testers need to run those tests again across the same combinations. But automated cross browser testing facilitates the simultaneous running of parallel tests which leads to quick delivery.

You would also require fewer testers in an automated cross browser testing scenario as compared to manual. This results in a quicker and scalable test execution that allows more efficient testing using limited resources.

Better Accuracy and Test Coverage

A momentary slip is enough to leave a defect undetected. Even the most skilled testers can fall prey to human errors. But automation eliminates the possibility of manual mistakes and results in high test accuracy. After all stress and boredom are human emotions completely absent from a highly functional test automation tool!

High Test Coverage

Automation also results in a higher test coverage since you don’t have to skip some combinations. For instance, parallel testing can help you run lengthy tests across multiple combinations within a short span, thanks to automated cross browser testing.

Top Tips for Successful Automated Cross-Browser Testing

Now that it’s clear why automated cross-browser testing can be a game-changer, here are some top tips to ensure success. Let’s take a look.

Select The Ideal Cross Browser Testing Tool

Automated cross browser testing might not be a piece of cake. But we can make it easier by picking the right tools. Speaking of which, Selenium is a credible, reliable, robust, and one of the most popular test automation frameworks.

The learning curve is simple and you can use the Selenium WebDriver in Java, PHP, Ruby, C#, and many other programming languages. It also facilities parallel testing across different OS devices and browsers.

Select The Right Browser Device Combination

You can leverage the services of an analytics tool to obtain user data and select the right browser device combination. For example, Google Analytics offers in-depth insights into all mobile devices, browsers, and browser versions your target audiences are using. To further enhance browser mobile testing, keep in mind to eliminate outdated OS and browser versions that no longer work.

Check The Scalability of Platforms

Automated cross-browser testing involves multiple device combinations to run test cases. Since it’s a good practice to cut out unnecessary old devices, using a highly scalable platform is vital. Cloud testing platforms boast optimum scalability, thanks to the virtual nature and the facility to easily add or remove devices.

Practice Continuous Development and Testing

During the testing phase, if you uncover bugs, it is crucial to narrow down the place it originates. For example, it can be present on a browser version, resolution, machine, etc. Also, remember that the bug might not even develop from your end. If it arises from the device or browser side, raise respective requests to rectify the issue.

Identify and List Browsers to Test

If you live in a perfect world, we wouldn’t leave out a single browser of our testing scenario. But it’s not an ideal world and in reality, narrowing it down to a few browsers offers more clarity. Your team should pay extra attention to users using Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari apart from Firefox and Chrome. Also list out the different browser versions you would test on according to user data and production analytics.

Here are the three grades into which you can divide browsers for testing. Let’s take a look.

A-Grade Browsers

The A grade list comprises the most common, top-notch, and fully capable modern browsers. These are the highest on the priority list and every feature and functionality should perfectly work on them.

B-Grade Browsers

B-grade browsers are not as capable as A-grade ones and are older. They are notorious for having some compatibility problems. Even though they are not mainstream, you should always strive to deliver a satisfactory user experience on them.

C-Grade Browsers

C-grade browsers are unknown or rare in use. You might not be able to test all browsers in the category. However, if you’re aware that they won’t be able to smoothly render all components of your application content, it’s better to add a redirect or a simpler version of your platform.

Use Virtual Machines and Emulators

If your aim is for cross browser compatibility, using virtual machines and emulators for automated cross browser testing has unique benefits. Cloud-based tools offer a wide array of configurations that help in testing an interface with the exact replica of a device, browser, and browser versions.

Even if you are on a tight budget you won’t face an issue testing your apps on emulators. As for virtual machines, they offer exact insights on how a web application will appear to niche users. Also, keep in mind that a large fragment of the population uses tablets to fulfill their internet requirements. That’s why it’s important to check an application across a variety of tablet devices for various resolutions and screen sizes.

Cater to Accessibility

Is your application accessible to every single fragment of your target audience? It’s vital to consider scenarios apart from the mainstream user base. For instance, some of your users might be visually impaired. In that case, your content should be accessible in the form of audio and they should be able to input data in the form of voice commands. Ensure that you make accessibility testing an integral part of your automated cross browser testing.

Summing It Up

Cross browser testing automation is the most effective arrow in a tester’s quiver. Automating the process is a cherry on top. By now, it’s clear that only an application that features an outstanding UX has the potential to create a lasting impact. Therefore it’s a wise move to make a killer first impression, and automated cross-browser testing is a mandatory step to achieve this. Sound off if you have any queries or thoughts on this subject in the comments below.

Meta Description: Are you looking for some clarity on automated cross-browser testing? Here’s what it is, why it’s crucial, and some tried & tested strategies for a greater ROI.