Tools for cross-browser and layout testing

Cross-browser and layout testing is an integral part of testing web projects. The site will be displayed well and without bugs, but not in all browsers. Therefore, a significant amount of time, budget and resources is allocated for this testing.

Checking the site's display manually in various browsers is monotonous work that takes time. There are over 1500 different browsers at the moment. But, of course, most of them are unknown, that is why the testing is usually performed only in popular browsers and their versions (Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, Microsoft Edge, Firefox) and on such platforms as Windows, Linux, Mac.

The list of browsers and OS for cross-browser testing is approved before the testing. Mostly, there are enough free tools for cross-browser compatibility testing of layout for most projects without extra paid features.

What tools are used for this type of testing?

CrossBrowserTesting.com

It consists of various browsers, operational systems and their versions. Here one can view the site in multiple browsers simultaneously on real devices and in the live testing mode.

For layout testing, Screenshot Testing is used. With its help, we can see how the website layout will be displayed in the given browser versions and OS.

The instrument is not free, so it is not advisable to perform several cross-browser variations in it.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a cloud-based platform for cross-browser compatibility testing. Automated testing of screenshots makes mass shots of desktops and mobile devices that work on different operating systems. If we need to send the test details, it is possible to integrate results on the platform in Asana, BitBucket, GitHub, JIRA, Microsoft VSTS, Slack, Trello, etc.

It is necessary to choose the Visual UI Testing menu for layout testing. If the screenshots are not enough, adaptability tests will come in handy.

Browsershots

It is a simple and open to general use tool with proper parameters and settings. It supports over 200 versions of the browser.

In the Browsershots system, cross-browser compatibility testing can be performed for free. Suffice it to specify the link on the website and choose the browser/platform.

The main disadvantage of this testing is the time required to display the result after choosing several browsers. In addition, the timeout error might be shown many times.

Browserling

Browserling is presented as an extension in Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari. It helps test web applications and sites in real browsers that work on real machines. In addition, it allows comparing screenshots and precisely determining the layout problem by interactive viewing pages.

It performs simple cross-browser testing for free, but you will have to wait in line with the other users.

Ghostlab

Ghostlab provides synchronized testing for scrolling, clicking, and refreshing on any device so you can test the entire UX, not just the appearance of the page.

BrowserStack

BrowserStack offers live web browser testing with instant access to every desktop and mobile browser (there are currently more than 300), making it possible to test local and internal servers, while ensuring secure installation. It is cloud-based, which means it does not require any installation, and built-in developer tools (such as Firebug Lite, Microsoft Script Debugger, and many others) provide fast cross-browser testing and debugging.

Sauce Labs

Sauce Labs allows testing on more than 260 different browsers and devices in the cloud, covering all aspects of testing, including Selenium, JavaScript, Mobile, and Manual. With no VM setup or maintenance requirements, you can manually explore the issue while running tests. Sauce Labs shows the completed tests in chronological order, including information about the platform tested, execution time, build, and whether they are passed or failed.

BitBar

It is a powerful cloud-based mobile application testing platform for manual and automated testing of applications in any environment on real iOS and Android devices, with an option to fix issues reported by customers. The tool is also used to check the actual user experience. BitBar supports any built-in mobile testing automation platform, including Java, Python, JavaScript, and other programming languages.

Virtuoso

Virtuoso can automate cross-browser testing. Autotests can be created anywhere and run at any time. It is also possible to run the same test simultaneously in several browsers, for different OS and devices. What's more, this tool significantly reduces test execution time. 

TestGrid

It is one of the best tools for cross-browser testing, scriptless automation, native mobile app testing, performance testing, API testing, and more. It allows users to easily perform both manual and automated testing on real devices in the cloud or at the workplace. It is possible to create and execute test cases without fundamental programming knowledge. TestGrid is built on the latest technology stack that allows executing their tests faster without scripting.

Selenium

Selenium is the most popular tool for automation testing of various functions. Cross-browser testing is one of the many functions supported by Selenium. The Selenium WebDriver automates test cases in Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers, etc. Also, testers can integrate the TestNG framework with Selenium WebDriver to run tests in different browsers. In addition, this tool can be used to analyze cross-browser compatibility performance.

Katalon Studio

One of the best automation testing tools without code, created on the basis of Appium and Selenium engines. It offers full platform support that can run tests on any type of OS, browser, and device. In addition, it includes charts, graphs, and reports to visualize test data and execution results. Also, the tool can be used in both cloud and local environments.

Ranorex Studio

This tool includes all the necessary functionality for testing mobile applications. It is an easy tool for beginners thanks to its code-free interface, but also powerful for automation experts. The tool supports a wide range of testing formats, including desktop, mobile, and web applications.

To date, there are many tools for high-quality cross-browser compatibility testing. Due to this, teams can ensure a more coherent user interface of the website/application on all devices and screens in large sizes.