Achieving Cross-Browser and Cross-Platform Testing with Codeless Tools

Testing across browsers and platforms is essential to providing consumers with a great online or mobile application experience. Extensive testing across contexts is crucial to guarantee operation and compatibility due to the diversity of browsers, devices, and operating systems. One practical approach to do this without writing a lot of code is to use codeless test automation technologies.

What is cross browser testing?

Cross-browser testing is the process of analyzing a website across several browsers and operating systems. Testers employ cross-browser testing to verify that the site looks the same in every browser. They can perform cross-browser testing manually or automatically; however, the manual method is time-consuming.

This is because, while performing cross-browser testing, they must take into account not just the browsers themselves but also their varying versions and operating systems. Consider the many browsers, versions (Chrome is at 83), and operating systems. As a result, using an automated process is a better choice.

Developers may use Selenium and TestNG to perform automated cross-browser testing, but before you go into the code, it’s essential to understand why this test is necessary.

The need for cross-browser testing

If your website has slow page loads or other issues, people will abandon it in seconds. There are various techniques available to provide quality assurance for your site, such as focus groups, surveys, and A/B testing. Still, they do not provide real-time and continuous insights into user experiences.

For example, you may receive feedback that customers respond to a call to action or click a button when the copy changes from option A to B, or you may receive feedback in a survey that a consumer waited too long to load a catalogue item photo. However, without testing on all browsers, you will not have information regarding issues that occur when users complete activities or specific pages, as well as load speeds for page elements.

What is cross-platform testing?

Cross-platform testing is a testing approach that validates whether an application or product operates correctly across a variety of platforms. These platforms encompass various operating systems (e.g., Windows, iOS, Android, MacOS, Linux), web browsers (such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), and devices (including mobiles, tablets, and desktops from different manufacturers). This method of testing aims to evaluate different facets of the application, such as functionality, user-friendliness, and interface, across real diverse environments. Its purpose is to guarantee a seamless user experience for all users, irrespective of the platform they utilize.

What is the importance of this type of testing?

Cross-platform testing is essential for improving an application’s overall quality. In the absence of cross-platform testing, an application may run flawlessly on one platform but exhibit serious functionality or usability difficulties on another. These discrepancies might create a bad user experience, perhaps resulting in the loss of users or customers. With the widespread fragmentation of devices, operating systems, and browsers in today’s digital economy, it is nearly difficult to create a program that works flawlessly on all platforms without significant cross-platform testing.

Here are some recommendations for using codeless tools to perform successful cross-browser and cross-platform testing:

Define Your Testing Scope

First, decide which browsers, devices, and platforms you will need to test. Consider current and previous versions of popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer. Account for the latest iOS and Android versions on phones and tablets. Select typical operating systems for cross-platform testing, such as Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Prioritize what is most essential to your audience.

Select Codeless Test Automation Tools

Look at codeless test automation technologies that handle the environments you need to test in. Evaluate the offered features, usability, integration support, and cost. Look for technologies that allow for centralized test administration, reuse of test components, and interaction with major DevOps systems.

Build a Reusable Test Library

Use reusable components to organize your codeless test automation system. Once common test building blocks are created, they may be used again and again to facilitate more effective scripting. Create shared user action scripts, for instance, for checkout, search, and log in. Create utility functions, data objects, and setup/teardown procedures as well. For convenience during exams, arrange these in a central library.

Implement Cross-Browser Test Scripts

With your library ready, develop automated test scripts for critical user journeys and use cases. Construct sequences utilizing your reusable components. Configure the target browser or platform for each script using the tool’s environment settings. Parameterize inputs and assertions to adapt the flows across environments. Execute the scripts and validate behavior across each targeted combination. Handle any environment-specific tweaks required within the tool.

Connect Tests to a CI/CD Pipeline

Integrate your codeless test scripts into a continuous integration and delivery pipeline. Most automation tools provide options to run test suites on popular platforms like Jenkins, CircleCI, TravisCI, and TeamCity. Configure test execution as part of builds and releases. Run regression test suites on code changes to catch cross-environment issues early before deployment. Implement test reporting to track status across environments.

Analyze Results and Optimize

Review test results to pinpoint areas for improvement. Analyze failures to identify underlying root causes such as browser differences, viewport sizes, CORS policies, etc. Enhance test coverage where needed. Further, generalize scripts to minimize environment-specific handling. Optimize data inputs and assertions to boost reliability. Retest until all critical use cases function properly across each supported platform.

Automate Mobile Testing

For mobile testing, leverage real device clouds solutions integrated with automation tools. Codeless scripts can launch apps, drive native mobile gestures like taps, swipes, and pinches, and simulate real user actions. Connect devices or start emulators, then execute test suites targeting different mobile platforms. Compare rendered UI, compute performance, and validate functionality across iOS and Android environments.

Continuously Evolve Tests

As browsers, devices, and platforms evolve, continuously update your test automation framework. Deprecate older platforms and add new target environments based on usage analytics. Refactor scripts to handle UI changes, adopt new APIs, and leverage newer browser capabilities. Update reusable libraries with new functions and optimization. Frequently rerun regression tests and fix issues promptly.

Final note

With well-designed codeless test automation leveraging reusable components, teams can deliver robust applications optimized for the diverse landscape of user environments. Structured frameworks and CI/CD integration provide efficient scripting and frequent feedback on cross-platform quality. Codeless tools continue to improve, making automated cross-browser and mobile testing more achievable than ever for modern development. By implementing industry best practices, teams can release high-performing and consistent web and mobile experiences that delight users across platforms.