In addition to guest posting on the UpCity blog, Authentic Web Solutions is featured as one of the Top Digital Marketing Agencies in the United States. Check out their profile!
The scene: You are out and about. Feeling on top of the world. Suddenly, you get hungry, so grab your phone to quickly look for someplace to grab a bite to eat. You find a restaurant nearby, so you pop into their website to see what’s on the menu. Time is of the essence because the ever-increasing hunger is starting to take over your entire being.
But when you get to the website on mobile it isn’t displaying correctly. You know, that pinching zoom action you have to take? Annoying right?
That restaurant just lost your business (and respect!) because they didn’t bother to make sure their website was compatible with other browsers and screen sizes.
What most people don’t realize is that cross-browser compatibility means you also have to take the mobile experience into consideration. We use the same browsers on our desktop as we do on mobile devices. It is important to have cross-browser compatibility that is also compatible across different screen sizes, including desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Stay with us. We’re going to break down what cross-browser compatibility is, and why it’s important.
Why does my website look different in other browsers?
Your website’s code is basically a set of instructions that tells the browser what it should look like. Browsers interpret some of this information differently.
Default issues are common between browsers. The way fonts and forms are rendered could vary.
Some browsers have features that others don’t. If your website is built with a feature that is not supported by a certain browser, it won’t work properly. It may appear broken, or an error message will display.
But a good website should look and work the same in all browsers.
What is cross-browser compatibility?
When your website can be viewed in a variety of browsers, and it looks the way it should, your site is cross-browser compatible. Browser compatibility encompasses both how a website looks in different browsers and screen sizes.
For example, if you look at your website in Chrome and it looks good, but it doesn’t look correct when you take a look at it on Safari, it’s not cross-compatible. You’ve got some fixing to do.
The site needs to be able to perform the same way across various browser environments.
Factors to Consider for Optimal Functionality
- Browser: Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Chrome? Something else?
- Browser version: Did the user install all updates?
- Operating system: Microsoft or Apple? Android or iPhone?
- Devices: Are users browsing on a desktop, tablet, or mobile devices?
Why consider cross-browser testing?
Having the ability to view your website in different browsers and screen sizes is vital.
Your site visitors will use a variety of browsers and devices, depending on their preference (and loyalty). Mac fans may be sworn to Safari while Google lovers might opt for Chrome. Some people use their cell phones more than desktop computers.
It’s nothing personal against your website. It is what it is. And if you have a website, it’s your job to make sure they have the same experience when they come to your website, no matter how they access it.
This chart, created by Oberlo with stats from Gs.Statcounter.com, shows the market share for the most popular web browsers in 2021.
But a good website should look and work the same in all browsers.
What is cross-browser compatibility?
When your website can be viewed in a variety of browsers, and it looks the way it should, your site is cross-browser compatible. Browser compatibility encompasses both how a website looks in different browsers and screen sizes.
For example, if you look at your website in Chrome and it looks good, but it doesn’t look correct when you take a look at it on Safari, it’s not cross-compatible. You’ve got some fixing to do.
The site needs to be able to perform the same way across various browser environments.
Factors to Consider for Optimal Functionality
- Browser: Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Chrome? Something else?
- Browser version: Did the user install all updates?
- Operating system: Microsoft or Apple? Android or iPhone?
- Devices: Are users browsing on a desktop, tablet, or mobile devices?
Why consider cross-browser testing?
Having the ability to view your website in different browsers and screen sizes is vital.
Your site visitors will use a variety of browsers and devices, depending on their preference (and loyalty). Mac fans may be sworn to Safari while Google lovers might opt for Chrome. Some people use their cell phones more than desktop computers.
It’s nothing personal against your website. It is what it is. And if you have a website, it’s your job to make sure they have the same experience when they come to your website, no matter how they access it.
This chart, created by Oberlo with stats from Gs.Statcounter.com, shows the market share for the most popular web browsers in 2021.
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How to test for cross-browser compatibility
This is the most important step to ensuring that your website works across all browsers. There are some tools out there that help you test your website’s compatibility across browsers.
Here are a few tools that will help you develop a consistent user experience across browsers, listed by QA Lead in a recent post.
- Selenium
- LambdaTest
- EndTest
- Browsera
- Perfecto
- Experitest
- Sauce Labs
- Browserling
- Functionize
- Mabl
Our personal favorite tool at Authentic Web Solutions for testing cross-browser capability is Browserstack.
The Takeaway
Building a highly functional website that works across multiple browsers and screen sizes isn’t necessarily for the impatient or the faint of heart. Using best practices and helpful compatibility checking tools will make the build experience go more smoothly, so be sure to employ some of these tactics.
Without some consideration into browser support and testing, your website visitors might deem you unprofessional and take their business where they can get an improved user experience.