If you are working on an application that demands cross-browser testing, there are many ways to make the testing process less time-consuming, many of which will benefit companies in the long run.
Today we’ll be looking at how you can incorporate cross-browser testing into the testing process, reduce manual processes and deliver a thoroughly-tested application.
Typically cross-browser testing is time-intensive and prone to human errors. However, if a company wants to remain competitive in a technological sense, it’ll need quicker cross-browser testing processes.
As such, teams are dedicating their resources and funds to make the process more efficient. How are they doing this? Automation.
Many teams are reaping the benefits of automation testing by implementing it into the testing process. By comparison with manual testing which requires human participation, automated testing minimises the need for manual execution of tests. This allows specialists to avoid mistakes that are bound to happen while testing manually.
Join us as we explore these advantages in greater detail.
What Is Cross-browser Testing?
Cross-browser testing involves analysing and comparing a web application’s behaviour when it is run on various browsers or browser versions. When you perform cross-browser tests, you ensure the application offers an optimal user experience regardless of the browser or device used to access the app.
With various browsers and devices available, there are numerous ways users can access an application. As such, testers face a tough challenge making sure the app runs smoothly on every browser or device.
Cross-browser testing is the best way to ensure maximum test coverage and avoid user issues with functionality, features, and performance.
However, cross-browsing testing requires testing scripts for different browsers, while every browser and device combination needs to be tested separately. As such, cross-browser testing is very time-consuming, difficult, and expensive. That does not mean cross-browser testing is near impossible or a waste of time; it just means companies rely on automation to ensure the process is as efficient and speedy as possible.
What Is the Difference Between Manual and Automated Cross-browser Testing
Cross-browser testing incorporates many practices, divided into two subsections: manual and automated cross-browser testing. Both approaches benefit testers and companies in different ways. Some of the differences between automatic and manual cross-browser testing include:
- Manual Testing
As you would expect, manual testing involves testing web-based applications manually without using scripts, tools, or automated programs. Traditionally, testers would scour through different browser and device combinations to check features and discover bugs in the application.
Manual testing involves executing test cases and scripts manually, which takes a lot of time, effort, and human resources. If you are testing a web application across more than 50 browsers, devices, and operating systems, manual testing is less than ideal. As such, testers should turn to automation to solve their problems.
- Automated Testing
Automated testing is a much faster and more efficient approach to cross-browser testing, utilising automated tools to build comprehensive test scripts and put the application through its paces. Testers use pre-scripted tests that run independently, providing reports and reports, letting testers compare the actual results with the expected outcomes.
However, even though many test processes are automatic, automated cross-browser testing still requires considerable effort to create the test scripts in the first place. The main goal of automated cross-browser testing is to run test cases and achieve maximum test coverage in as little time as possible. Testers can test numerous application levels more efficiently by using tools, software, and scripts.
Why Should Testers Use Cross-browser Automated Testing?
As aforementioned, cross-browser testing is an essential part of the testing process that benefits testers and companies.
For example, manual cross-browser testing helps testers check performance and find bugs in web applications on a small scale, perfect for tiny apps. However, testers cannot justify the time and effort required to check the application adequately when the application runs across seemingly countless browser, device, and operating system combinations.
Automated cross-browser testing ensures a much faster testing process, replicating test cases and reducing testing time by days. As such, companies can release their application with greater peace of mind and much sooner than previously possible.
However, automated testing doesn’t permanently save time. Testers still need to go through test cases and ensure they work properly; this maintenance can take a while.
However, one thing cross-browser automated testing does well is eliminate many human errors from the testing process. Testers are only human and can easily make mistakes, especially when they have so many test cases and browser/device combinations to get through. Automation avoids many human errors, though issues with created test scripts can still slow down the process.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, automated cross-browser testing is beneficial in many ways. Whether testers are looking to save time and get the application in front of intended audiences quickly or reduce the errors in the testing process, automated cross-browser testing ensures the application is user-friendly and works correctly on any devices, operating systems, and browsers.
In short, if you are looking to develop a fully functional app, cross-browser testing is essential.
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