Cross browser testing is an essential part of the modern testing standard. For instance, this process allows you to ensure that the application is superior and accessible on all devices. Thus, it helps to increase your stand in the entire Software Development Industry. Various companies perform manual cross-browser testing. As you all know, manual testing is a long and complicated process, and a single error can hamper the entire testing process. Additionally, you must try to save as much time as possible to reduce the application’s development time. In this article, we will discuss various methods that can help you save time on manual cross-browser testing.
What is Cross Browser Testing?
Cross browser testing falls under the family of non-functional testing processes. It helps to ensure that the application is completely functional and accessible on various devices and platforms. So, it ensures that every part of the customer base can access your web application irrespective of their device. Additionally, it helps to maintain user interaction on responsive applications. Thus, we can justify that cross browser testing is an essential part of the web application testing process. Cross-browser testing also helps to ensure that special features like screen readers are working correctly on the web application so that differently-abled people can access your website. In the present industry, new browsers are releasing every single day. Thus, it is essential to provide continued support for all the browsers available in the current market.
Importance of Saving Time in Manual Cross-Browser Testing
In the present software industry, almost every vendor has transitioned to open browser standards for website browsing. This transaction is uniform for all vendors; however, the application remains vastly different. It is because every company has another ideal for rendering JavaScript or HTML websites. So, you need to test your web application on every browser to initiate a consistent performance. While conducting the testing process manually, it will take a lot of time. However, time is one of the few things that you cannot afford to waste in the Software Industry. Thus, you need to follow specific techniques that will help you to speed up your manual cross browser testing process.
Tips to Save Time on Manual Cross-Browser Testing
1. Code Linters
As a developer, you must link your source code with the static analytics tool. You must perform this process irrespective of the developing languages that you are working with. This process is highly essential as you may not have the capability to find out the source code’s errors at a glance. The source code analysis is also known as linters. They help you validate your code and execute various code rectifications. It also helps to perform cross Browser validation on different web development languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Furthermore, you have the freedom to use both online and offline tools on your local desktop. However, we advise all the developers to discuss this plan with the project manager before executing static code analysis.
2. Perform Cross Browser Testing after a Development Milestone
A typical source code for a Cross browser website consists of more than 50 modules. So, even if you perform only two changes per module, you will have to test more than a hundred changes in the source code. As manual testing is entirely dependent on human consideration, a lot of work may confuse the tester. Thus, we recommend all the companies to perform testing on the source code after every single change. This process will decrease the average workload and increase the efficiency of the testing process. Additionally, after fixing all the bugs, you should follow one complete round of compatibility testing to double-check all the changes you have made.
3. CSS Prefixes
Browser vendors use mechanisms like CSS vendor prefixes or CSS prefixes to add new features to the browsers. You must incorporate your CSS code to ensure that your website is supported by both the browser’s new and old versions. Additionally, you can use specific CSS flexbox tools to generate new layout features for the web application. For this process, you must provide all the necessary Syntax details for the application to create the code and execute it on all browser versions.
You also can add the prefix changes manually. However, there is a high possibility of an error during the manual process. So, we recommend all the companies to make the necessary changes by using automated CSS scripts.
4. Parallel Testing
Parallel testing of parallel model development is one of the fastest methods for conducting automatic and manual software testing. It helps to perform all the vital testing processes simultaneously and reduces a massive portion of the testing time. You can perform parallel testing with the help of test scripts that allow cross-browser compatibility in the source code for different browsers and devices. Furthermore, you can create your test script that can mimic human interaction by using a specialized Selenium WebDriver. These test scripts can help automate all the redundant processes involved in bug fixing.
5. CSS Profiling
In the earlier parts of the article, we discussed the importance of CSS linting. However, this process only helps to find the error in the main source code. Thus, you will need a separate application that can help you perform CSS profiling. For instance, it is common for a developer to add codes to a different CSS module with the Legacy code variations. Thus, various CSS properties can help you handle the Legacy codes for the main framework of a web application.
CSS Parker is the most popular tool for profiling CSS codes. This application is highly prevalent in the software development industry as it provides statistics about your CSS code.
6. Cloud-Based Cross Browser Testing
It is a very costly process to set up physical infrastructure to conduct testing on browsers and operating systems. For instance, to test a web application on Android, you need to have devices with various Android operating system versions for accurate results. So, you can justify that physical testing is a non-scalable and impracticable method for multiple reasons.
The best solution to this problem is the use of cloud-based services provided by various companies. LambdaTest is one of the reputed companies that allow you to focus on the testing process without worrying about the infrastructure. Additionally, you can develop automated test scripts with the help of Selenium to create a seamless testing environment.
7. Perform Testing at Every Step of the Development Process
Periodic and thorough tests allow you to notice all the bugs as soon as they enter the website’s primary framework. You should also ensure that you perform various combinations of testing strategies to ensure the application is ready for its release to end-users. In simple terms, incorporate testing and change in the mindset is necessary to become your daily routine to develop a successful website.
Additionally, it is an excellent option to divide the testing plan for complex functionalities. This process allows you to eliminate all forms of dependencies on the activity log. You can also use various tools for prototyping your test cases for further referencing and error management.
8. Develop a Detailed Plan for the Testing Process
As we already discussed, it is essential to create various combinations to test your source code on different devices, operating systems, and browsers. Thus, it will be impossible to keep track of all these combinations at one point. It would be best if you created a plan beforehand to simplify this process. Additionally, things can get more complicated when you perform software testing on the same browser but combine it with a different operating system or device.
Your test plan must consist of the essential functionalities that require thorough testing with different combinations. Additionally, you can use a group of devices to get an idea about the formulation of your test plan. This process will also help you to track the error according to the device that triggered it.
9. Perform Unit Testing
Unit testing is a process of testing the changes that have been introduced by the developer at the unit level testing. It is essential to verify the code changes irrespective of the programming language. You should perform this testing on a test-driven development environment to introduce the culture of thorough testing. Additionally, this process allows you to create beautifully crafted source codes. JavaScript provides a set of libraries that can help the tester to perform unit testing on various frameworks.
10. Use of Test Scripts
Regression testing helps to support the end-to-end functionality of a web application. This process also helps establish that no new changes affect the old functions of the source code. For instance, there are various cases where a visual element is linked with functionality. An excellent example of this is the creation of clickable buttons using JavaScript. Additionally, there are specific scenarios when the system interface gets updated after the end-user clicks a button. So, it is essential to ensure that the circumstantial changes do not affect the web application’s core functionality.
We recommend the companies develop and maintain the test scripts on a timely basis. Additionally, it would help if you grouped the test script according to the priority and testing category.
Recommended Tool for Cross Browser Testing – LambdaTest
LambdaTest is an amazing tool for Cross Browser Testing and is recommended highly by the software testing industry. They offer a unique cloud-based engine to perform automation and manual testing on websites & web apps. This unique technology allows you to test your application on thousands of Browsers and OS. Additionally, LambdaTest enables you to track the progress in the testing environment. Thus, it helps eliminate the excessive amount of time and resources you usually lose following the various software testing process steps. In simple words, the combination of LambdaTest unique services, along with their excellent customer support, makes them the ultimate web/software testing tool.
The Verdict
We can conclude that it is highly essential to introduce time management in your manual cross-browser testing process. In the present generation, all customers expect delivery of high-quality web applications. Thus, if you fail to stand up to the market’s expectations, you will end up losing a considerable portion of the customer base and incurring massive losses. Your primary motive should be delivering high-quality and smooth services to all of our customers as a company. Lastly, we would recommend all our readers check out LambdaTest as a one-stop solution to all testing needs.