Before releasing new features into production, it is essential to ensure that no browser compatibility issues appear in the latest version of the website. In this scenario, if developers move further with manual cross browser testing, it may impede the web application’s testing by various issues. One major issue is being entangled in a recurring cycle in which testers frequently face significant time constraints in manual testing. 

Now imagine a team of diligent developers who, while pressed for time, conduct a thorough manual testing of the application across multiple operating systems. Manually verifying numerous test cases is a laborious and time-consuming procedure that leaves little room for error and even less for rationality.

This is where automated cloud-based cross-browser testing with the best framework, like Selenium, comes in handy. It helps handle all the challenges of ensuring a website or web application works well across various browsers.

In this blog, we will dive deep into the necessary components and benefits of automated cross-browser testing and why one should use Selenium WebDriver to automate cross-browser testing.

What is Cross Browser Testing?

Cross-browser testing verifies that a web application’s functionality remains consistent across various browsers and operating systems. Due to the substantial variation in how browsers parse the Document Object Model (DOM), the precise manner in which the web application developer chooses the UI controls of the application directly impacts the output.

Cross-browser testing ensures the application provides users with a seamless and uninterrupted experience. Moreover, it evaluates the compatibility and responsiveness of an application across multiple browsers and operating systems. 

What is Cloud-Based Cross Browser Testing?

Cloud-based cross-browser testing employs cloud-based testing platforms to test websites or web apps across various operating systems and web browsers.

In the past, developers and testers would set up many real or virtual machines running various operating systems and browsers to verify compatibility. Nevertheless, testing on a variety of configurations may only sometimes be possible with this method due to its time and resource requirements.

Through the provision of virtualized testing environments that are accessible via the internet, cloud-based cross-browser testing services provide a more effective and scalable option. 

Core Benefits of Cloud-Based Cross-browser Testing

According to Statista, the global market size of cloud applications is likely to expand enormously by 2025. Last year, there was an increasing demand for cloud frameworks due to their benefits over other methods.

Some core benefits of Cloud cross-browser testing are –

• Efficiency: Cloud-based testing saves time by enabling simultaneous testing across several browsers.  
• Scalability: Cloud-based testing offers flexibility when testing requirements change over time by readily scaling to meet the demands of different browsers and their versions.
• Cost-effectiveness: By eliminating the need to maintain a large in-house testing infrastructure, cloud-based testing lowers the hardware and software expenses related to manual testing configurations.
• Accessibility: Using cloud-based testing, teams can collaborate regardless of location. It allows teams to access testing environments with an internet connection from any location.
• Automation: Repetitive test cases can be automated using automated testing tools. It increases testing productivity and lowers the need for manual involvement.
• Consistency: Unlike manual setups, cloud-based testing minimizes differences by guaranteeing consistent testing settings across various browsers and devices.
• Faster time-to-market: Cloud-based testing speeds up the release cycle and helps products reach the market sooner by simplifying the testing process and enabling speedier identification of cross-browser compatibility concerns.
• Rapid feedback loop: Without test automation, gathering input on recently developed features can take time. At each stage of the product development cycle, automation testing allows us to obtain faster validation and decrease the feedback cycle.
• Increase the Test Coverage: This is one of the numerous advantages of automated testing that is most noticeable. Testers can quickly complete a far greater number of test cases when using automation testing. In each test cycle, more test cases guarantee optimal test coverage of features and requirements.
• Early bug identification: Before submitting code to the version control system, developers and testers can use automation testing to perform unit tests on their local system. Regression and integration testing are subsequently also carried out automatically. This allows for thorough testing of every feature and line of code. Therefore, defects are found early.

Cloud-based cross-browser testing is the best selection approach over a manual one.

Strategies for Effective Cloud Cross-Browser Testing

Some key strategies for conducting effective cross-browser testing are

• Use Automated Testing Tools: To expedite the testing process, use automated testing technologies such as Selenium. You can save time and grind by using these tools to perform tests simultaneously across multiple browsers.
• Leverage the best cloud-based platforms: Make use of Selenium-integrated cloud-based testing suites that provide a platform to access a variety of browser and device configurations on demand. 
• Conduct Visual and Functional Testing: In addition to functional testing, visual testing should ensure that the layout and appearance are similar between browsers. Visual testing tools can find color variances, layout inconsistencies, and other visible flaws.
• Update Browser Frequently: Update your browser and device profiles to match the most recent versions and setups that your intended audience is using. This makes compatibility concerns easier to find and fix quickly.
• Analyze your test results: Keep a close eye on the test results and examine any inconsistencies or failures in various browsers. Prioritise issue fixes and enhancements using this data to provide a seamless user experience on all platforms.

These strategies are a basis for attaining the best cross-browser compatibility and enhancing web applications’ overall performance in today’s linked digital environment.

What is Selenium WebDriver?

Selenium WebDriver is a component of the Selenium framework that tests web pages across various browsers. It is the remote control interface component that facilitates program-to-browser interaction and instruction, DOM element manipulation within a web document, and User Agent behavior control.

The Selenium framework uses language-neutral protocols like Selenium WebDriver to automate testing procedures. 

So, the Selenium WebDriver is an intermediary component connecting the Selenium framework and the browser being utilized to execute the automated test.

Why choose Selenium for Cross-Browser testing?

Cross-browser testing with Selenium is a well-known choice for several reasons, such as:

1. Multi-Language Support: It gives developers and testers flexibility by supporting several programming languages (Java, Python, C#, and Ruby).
2. Scalability: Selenium is adaptable to project needs and may be used by teams of any size, whether testing one web application at a time or several at once.
3. Seamless Integration: Selenium’s ability to integrate with other testing frameworks and tools is strong, allowing for seamless workflows and enhancing its capabilities.
4. Vast Community: It has a thriving user and development community offering information, guides, and assistance.
5. Constant Updates: Selenium is updated to stay up to date with new browser versions and web technologies, guaranteeing its efficacy and dependability.
6. Versatility: It is a flexible tool for various testing requirements because it can be used for functional, regression, and acceptability testing, among other kinds of testing.
7. Seamless Automation: Selenium makes it possible to automate repeated tasks, saving testers time and effort—particularly in regression testing cases.

Challenges in Testing with Local Grid

Let’s look at some challenges developers face when using a local grid for testing before moving to a cloud grid configuration. Several difficulties arise in this situation, including:

• It can be complex and resource-intensive to scale a local grid to manage increases in testing demand or to handle many test cases. Adding new machines or setting up more nodes takes a lot of struggle and infrastructure costs. 

On the other hand, developers can seamlessly scale up or down to accommodate fluctuating testing demands with the help of a cloud grid. Thus, the cloud grid ensures efficient resource utilization and optimal implementation without the constraints of physical hardware.

• Local grids demand constant attention to hardware, software, and network upkeep. This process can waste developers’ time and divert focus from actual testing. 

In contrast, cloud grids lighten this load by handling hardware maintenance and infrastructure management, allowing developers to dedicate more time to testing without the hassle of maintenance tasks.

• Local grids can be limited by not having enough machines, browsers, and devices for testing. It can lead to incomplete coverage and missing essential issues. 

However, cloud grids solve this problem by providing unlimited internet access to various hardware setups. This means developers can scale up testing resources as needed without being limited by physical hardware constraints.

Hence, shifting from a local to a cloud grid configuration solves some issues developers face when testing. While adding extra computers or nodes can be challenging and resource-intensive, a cloud grid such as LambdaTest provides a smooth scale to meet changing testing needs. LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform for automation testing on over 3000+ real browsers and operating systems.

How do you perform cross-browser testing using Selenium?

Cross-browser testing using a cloud grid involves some essential steps. Firstly, a grid environment must be set up. Next, WebDriver cases are created for each browser targeted for testing, enabling interaction with web elements. 

Navigating to the desired webpage, Selenium locators are employed to identify specific elements on the page. Expected outcomes or responses are predefined to validate the actions’ correctness. 

Tests are executed simultaneously across all WebDriver cases to assess the application’s behavior across browsers. Results are recorded and compared against the desired outcomes, allowing for the identification of any inconsistencies or discrepancies. 

Finally, WebDriver instances are closed to clean up resources after complete testing. This structured approach ensures comprehensive testing and validation of web applications across various browser environments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, testing the performance of every web application across all browser types requires cross-browser testing. Selecting the suitable tool is essential for a business to create interests of the highest caliber only when combined with a proper plan to integrate manual and automated processes. 

Developers can expedite progress and drastically reduce product delivery times with adequate testing. Offering thorough error reports also helps the development and testing teams improve the quality of the product.

Strategies for practical cross-browser compatibility can be implemented, including prioritizing essential browsers and using automation tools like Selenium WebDriver.

So go ahead and automate, test intelligently, and ensure your website runs seamlessly in any browser when any user comes across it. Cheers to your testing!

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