Cross-Browser Functional Testing

Cross-Browser Functional Testing

Cross-Browser Functional Testing Best Practices Introduction to Cross-Browser Functional Testing The term cross-browser testing usually mean... 5:01 am

Cross-Browser Functional Testing Best Practices

Introduction to Cross-Browser Functional Testing

The term cross-browser testing usually means some variation of testing of a web-based application on different browsers. We might have a requirement that our application must run on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Conversely,we might have to support all versions of Internet Explorer from version 8 and later. And what do we mean by ‘must run’? Is it enough that the functionality is identical on different browsers? What about the way the page looks – is it acceptable if two buttons appear on the same line in one browser, but appear one above the other in a different browser?

This document will examine some common types of cross-browser functional testing and will present some best practices that you can adopt in order to achieve your cross-browser testing goals.

Types of Cross-Browser Functional Testing

Standard Multi-Browser Testing

Standard multi-browser testing is a basic check that the application under test (AUT) supports more than one browser, for example, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. This type of test can run on a single computer, first on one browser and then on another. Alternatively, it can run on different computers. The same test script is typically run on the different browsers without modification. It usually assumes that only one user is active during the testing. 

Multi-Version Testing

This is a test that your AUT works on more than one version of a browser, such as Internet Explorer 9 and 10, or all versions of Firefox from 10 onwards. Typically, only one user is active during the testing. The same test script is used for the different browsers. In many cases, the tests must be run on different computers, since some browsers do not allow more than one version to be installed on the same computer at one time.

Concurrent Testing

Concurrent testing checks that your AUT works with two or more browsers at the same time. The same user might be  logged into the different browsers, or different users could be logged in, depending on the aim of the test and the requirements of the AUT.

Note: Tools are available in the market for cross browser testing.