Are you trying to expand your knowledge about modern web device testing? Currently, as a user, you have many options in terms of devices that can help you access all the web applications in the market. All of these devices offer different operating systems, screen sizes, browsers, and hardware capabilities.

So, it becomes a challenging process for the developers to maintain the consistent performance of their web apps on all of these device combinations. Web device testing is one of the most unanimous solutions to these problems.

With this article, we will take a professional look at all the advanced techniques for implementing comprehensive web device testing. During our discussion, we will also provide insights and strategies that can help the testers achieve reliable and robust web apps in this generation.

Understanding the Complexity of Web Device Testing

With web device testing, the testers have the freedom to ensure that the web apps function correctly across different environments and devices. While implementing web device testing, the complexities can arise due to the diversity of devices and also due to the following variations:

• The current device market has multiple options of devices that start from compact smartphones and go all the way up to large desktop monitors. Each of these devices has different aspect ratios and resolution values.

• There are also multiple operating systems that rule the current app developing industry, including Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac OS. There are also options for various Linux distributions, each with multiple versions that further complicates the development industry.

• If we look at the browser market, we can easily develop the idea that it is also highly cluttered with various options like Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and many others. Moreover, the developers should also count the fact that each of these browsers has various operational versions used by different users.

• While accessing the web applications, the end users can be using various types of network configurations like 3G, 5G, and even WiFi. Each of these configurations will have different speeds, stability, and latency.

• So, by considering all the above factors, we can easily say that the most effective solution is the testers implementing exhaustive testing solutions for implementing consistent user experience.

Advanced Techniques for Comprehensive Web Device Testing

Based on the requirements of the modern testers and current standards of application development, we have mentioned some of the most advanced techniques that can help the testers achieve comprehensive web device testing while utilizing their complete potential and resources:

1. Utilizing Device Farms

Modern online device farms like AWS device farm, and LambdaTest provide access to a massive range of real devices and browsers for testing purposes. By utilizing these farms, the testers can perform the following actions:

• Execute the test suites on real devices rather than limiting them to only emulators. This approach helps the testers to ensure more accurate test results and also analyze the performance of the application when exposed to real world scenarios.

• Automate the test suites across multiple devices simultaneously while saving much company time and resources that can be further reinvested in other areas to improve the overall application functioning.

• Have access to the devices in a remote configuration to facilitate testing across multiple geographical locations without any barriers or restrictions.

LambdaTest is an AI-powered testing platform that allows developers and testers to execute web device tests on a remote test lab of 3000 different combinations of real devices, operating systems, and browser versions. This platform also has various advanced features like parallel test execution, comprehensive test reporting, and native bug logging. We have also mentioned a sample code that allows the developers to execute web device testing using LambdaTest:

2. Responsive Design Testing

Since modern users can access the same web app on multiple devices, the application’s user interface must be able to cope up with these changes. For instance, all the web-based elements must adjust to different screen sizes, orientations, and resolutions.

Using responsive design testing, the testers can ensure this implementation while providing an optimal user experience across all configurations. A properly executed responsive design testing infrastructure will include the following instances:

• Using viewport resizing, the testers can manually resize the browser window to test breakpoints or discrepancies within the functioning and placement of all the user interface elements.

• The testers can use media queries like CSS media queries to apply various styles. These styles will be based on the device characteristics or the requirements of the application that is currently being interested.

• Finally, using the dedicated, responsive design mode, the testers can use built-in browser tools like Chrome DevTools for simulating different devices or user interactions and understanding the behavior of the application.

The following code snippet shows the implementation of CSS media queries while executing web device testing:

3. Cross-Browser Testing

In the modern generation, it is very important for the app developing companies to implement and ensure the compatibility of the application across multiple devices. A properly executed and implemented cross-browser testing scenario will include the following parameters:

• The testers can include automation testing instances using tools like Cypress, Selenium, and Playwright. This practice will help the application infrastructure to automatically initiate the test instances whenever there is any change in the app source code.

• Using Polyfills and Shims that come natively with JavaScript, the application testers can provide compatibility for older browser versions as well. It is a paramount process, as various surveys show that almost 80% of the users do not update their browser versions.

• The testers can also implement progressive enhancement and graceful degradation while implementing cross-browser testing. It is the process of building apps that provide core functionality across all browsers while enhancing the experience wherever possible.

We have mentioned a sample code snippet that uses Selenium WebDriver to execute automated cross-browser testing on modern applications:

4. Network Condition Testing

We all know that every user will not have access to the same Internet service provider. So, it is important for the app developing companies to execute the test instances under various network conditions to ensure that the web app performs well in real-world scenarios. This technique must consist of the following parameters to ensure its accuracy:

• Firstly, it is very important for the testers to implement throttling network speed testing. To perform this process, the testers can use browser developer tools or network simulation tools to understand how the application behaves under various network conditions.

• It is also important to perform offline testing while executing network condition testing. This process will help the testers to ensure that the app behaves correctly when the network is suddenly unavailable. To implement this process, the testers can use various modern technologies like service workers.

The following code snippet shows the implementation of network throttling using Chrome DevTools:

5. Accessibility Testing

According to a survey conducted by reputed organization, almost 25% of the global Internet users have some form of disability. So, the testers must ensure that their web apps are accessible to users with all forms of requirements. This approach is not only a legal requirement in many countries but also a best practice for implementing inclusive design practices.

To properly implement accessibility testing on modern web applications, the developers must include the following parameters:

• It is important to automate the test cases using various tools like Lighthouse, WAVE, or Axe. This implementation will allow the testers to identify common accessibility issues without implementing much manual labor.

• Next, it is also important to manually test the functioning of various assistive technologies like screen readers. This is an important parameter because various screen readers like JAWS or an NVDA cannot be properly evaluated using automated testing practices.

We have mentioned a sample code snippet that will allow the testers to implement accessibility testing on modern web applications.

6. Performance Testing

Before deploying an application to the end users, the testers must ensure that it is properly functional irrespective of all the device configurations, hardware conditions, or any other form of software restrictions.

Using accessibility testing, the app developers can also ensure that the app loads quickly and maintains stability under high traffic or user load.

The proper implementation of this process must include the following parameters:

• It is important for the testers to use various tools like Apache JMeter, Gatling, or K6 to simulate heavy user load and evaluate the stability or behavior of the application under these conditions.

• The testers must implement real user monitoring to collect performance data from real users to understand the performance of the application based on various unpredictable user interactions or behaviors.

• Finally, it is important for app developing companies to implement synthetic monitoring. To perform this process, the testers can use tools like WebPageTest or Lighthouse that will help stimulate user interactions and measure the performance metrics of the application simultaneously.

Using the following code snippet, the application developers can implement Lighthouse CLI on their web apps:

7. Security Testing

If we survey the modern apps, we can easily understand that all of these apps contain a lot of sensitive user information, including their login credentials, their banking details, or any other form of unshakable data. So, while rolling out modern apps, it is very important for the testers to implement security testing to find out vulnerabilities in the web app and protect against attacks.

Modern security testing processes must include the following parameters:

• Using static application security testing, the app developers can analyze the source code for any form of security flaws.

• On the other hand, dynamic application security testing verifies the security of a running application for any vulnerabilities.

• Finally, using penetration testing, the application developers can run simulated attacks for identifying weaknesses within the application infrastructure.

The following sample code simulates OWASP ZAP on a web app:

The Final Verdict

By keeping in mind all the advanced techniques that we elaborated in this article, we can conclude that web device testing is a very important and essential part of ensuring a smooth user experience across different environments and devices. By using this advanced technique, developers and testers can build reliable, robust, and inclusive web applications.

Moreover, by embracing all the advanced technologies for web app testing, the testers can improve the performance and quality of the software to enhance user satisfaction and trust. The ultimate goal of this approach is to contribute to the success of the app in this ever-evolving and competitive world.

In web development, one should always ensure that a website works on any given browser. The process is actually called browser compatibility testing. It is important in a way such that the same website might have been rendered in different ways in different browsers. If one does not test it across browsers, then it might be functioning inappropriately in somebody’s machine and therefore will give him a poor user experience, which might make the website lose that valuable traffic.

Safari is one of the browsers which mostly gets neglected, especially after the discontinuation of Safari for Windows by Apple in 2012. This forms a major issue since most developers and designers test their websites in a Safari browser using Windows. They need to ensure their sites work on Safari because it remains popular, particularly among iPhone and iPad users.

Why Safari Testing is Crucial for Developers

Safari is unique because it uses a different rendering engine called WebKit. Most other browsers, except Firefox, use the Chromium engine. Because Safari uses WebKit, it behaves differently in how it displays websites. This can affect everything from the layout to the interactive features of the site.

The market share of Safari, especially in the mobile sector for iPhones and iPads, is enormous. Most of the surfing people do is with Safari, especially on their mobile devices. This alone is reason enough to not brush off Safari when designing and testing a website. If a site wasn’t tested in Safari, it might be not looking and acting well for most people. This can affect the popularity and functionality of the site.

The Problems in Accessing Safari on Windows

When Apple stopped the support for Safari on Windows in 2012, it left Windows users in a mess. This was being done by Apple to ensure the best user experience with its products, while focusing more on its own operating systems: macOS and iOS. However, it left a gap for web developers and QA testers who rely on Windows.

This discontinuation means that the last Safari version for Windows is outdated and no longer secure to be used in its browsing functions. This also doesn’t represent the modern capabilities and behaviors of Safari on macOS and iOS. This creates a gap in testing environments for developers who use Windows. They face difficulties ensuring that their websites work well on the latest version of Safari, which can only be run on Apple’s own operating systems.

This situation complicates the job of web developers and QA testers. They need to find alternative ways to test their sites on Safari to ensure compatibility and functionality across all browsers and devices. Without being able to test on Safari directly from Windows, developers risk missing bugs and issues that could degrade the user experience for Safari users.

In the next sections, we will explore some alternative solutions that can help overcome these challenges. These include cloud-based browser testing tools, browser emulators and simulators, and using virtual machines. We will also highlight LambdaTest, a platform that provides comprehensive solutions for these testing needs.

Alternative Solutions to Access Safari on Windows

With the lack of such direct access in Windows running on Safari, the developers have had to resort to many a workaround to ensure that their websites look just fine on Safari, such as third-party testing tools on the cloud, browser emulators, and simulators, and the use of virtual machines.

Most essentially, the tools for browser testing based in the cloud are very good services toward most developers. That is, testing of browsers like Safari, which is not available for operating systems like Windows, becomes impossible without such tools. Hence, these are very convenient and efficient tools in ensuring websites do operate correctly in different browsers, yet without the need of local installations.

Benefits of Using Cloud Services

1. Multiple Browser Versions Access: Being based on cloud services, testing services are very resourceful since one can get access to multiple browser versions, including outdated versions that are still currently used for testing. This becomes quite important in ensuring the website is built to offer a consistent experience for all users, no matter the browser version they may be using. Cloud services enable developers to perform compatibility tests for their websites by utilizing multiple versions of browsers to ensure their web resources function properly across all demographics of users.

2. Live Testing: Another great advantage of using cloud-based tools is the ability to test a website interactively in real-time using different browsers. This is not hindered by your hardware or the installed browsers on your machine. You can see the impact that changes in code are most likely to have on a website across different browsers right then and there, which will be of utmost importance in troubleshooting issues and fixing problems promptly.

3. Efficiency and Convenience: Such tools tend to save a lot of time and resources, which are generally required for creating and maintaining many testing environments. Developers can simply log into the cloud platform and start testing from anywhere without having to develop a complex infrastructure. This not only speeds up the development process but also reduces the cost and effort of testing.

Cloud-based browser testing tools provide a perfect solution for those flexible development teams that require access to various testing environments. These are game changers for companies looking to optimize their web applications without significant investments in physical infrastructure.

Browser Emulators and Simulators

In addition to cloud-based tools, browser emulators and simulators also serve as a useful resource for mimicking the behavior of Safari on Windows. These tools are software applications that simulate the basic functionalities of a browser, providing an approximation of how websites will appear and function in Safari.

Pros of Using Emulators and Simulators

1. Cost-Effective: Emulators and simulators are generally more affordable than maintaining multiple devices for browser testing. They offer a budget-friendly alternative for initial testing phases, allowing developers to catch and fix a number of issues without a significant financial investment.

2. Quick Setup: These tools are typically easy to install and configure, which means testing can start almost immediately after setup. This quick turnaround is beneficial in fast-paced development environments where time is of the essence.

Cons of Using Emulators and Simulators

1. Limited Accuracy: While emulators and simulators provide a basic understanding of how a website might look and behave in Safari, they do not perfectly replicate the browser’s exact behavior. This can lead to discrepancies in how a website appears and functions, potentially missing critical issues that would only appear on the actual browser.

2. Performance Issues: The performance of a website on an emulator or simulator might not accurately reflect its performance on a real device. This can be misleading during the testing phase, as developers might overlook performance issues that could affect user experience on actual devices.

Both cloud-based browser testing tools and browser emulators and simulators have their place in the toolkit of modern web developers, especially those needing to ensure compatibility with Safari on Windows. Cloud services offer a more robust and accurate testing environment, ideal for final verifications before launching a web application, while emulators and simulators are useful for preliminary assessments and cost-effective testing. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each tool, developers can better strategize their testing processes to develop more reliable and user-friendly websites.

Using Virtual Machines

Setting up a virtual machine (VM) involves creating a separate computing environment within your Windows machine that can run macOS and subsequently Safari. This approach allows for a more accurate testing environment as it uses the actual operating system and browser.

Guide to Setting Up a macOS Virtual Environment:

1. Choose a Virtualization Software: Options include VMware and VirtualBox.
2. Install macOS on the Virtual Machine: Follow detailed guides available online to install macOS on your VM.
3. Install and Test on Safari: Once macOS is running, you can install Safari and begin testing.

Considerations for Performance and Legality:

• Performance: Running a VM requires significant system resources, which can slow down your machine.
• Legality: Ensure compliance with Apple’s licensing agreements when using macOS on non-Apple hardware.

Virtual machines provide a close-to-real testing environment but require a good understanding of virtualization software and higher system resources.

Spotlight on LambdaTest: A Comprehensive Testing Solution

LambdaTest stands out as a comprehensive solution for developers needing to test their websites on Safari from Windows. It offers a cloud-based platform that allows access to real Safari browsers for accurate testing.

Key Features of LambdaTest:

• Screenshot Testing: Automatically captures screenshots across multiple devices and browsers, including Safari, to ensure visual consistency.
• Live Interactive Sessions: Engage with your website in real-time across different browsers for immediate issue identification and resolution.
• Integrations with CI/CD Pipelines: LambdaTest integrates with various development tools, enhancing workflow automation and efficiency.

User Testimonials and Case Studies:

Several users have praised LambdaTest for its robust testing capabilities and user-friendly interface. Case studies illustrate how it has enabled teams to streamline their testing processes, reducing the time and effort required for cross-browser testing.

Conclusion

Testing on Safari is essential, and though Windows users face challenges due to the lack of direct access to Safari, several alternatives can help. Cloud-based tools, emulators, simulators, and virtual machines each offer unique benefits. However, for a comprehensive, accurate, and efficient testing process, platforms like LambdaTest stand out. They provide the necessary tools and environments to ensure websites perform well across all browsers, including Safari.

This will instigate the developer to delve deeper into these solutions, further testing for what perfectly fits their needs in full knowledge of the need for rigorous testing to ensure the best user experience across all platforms. For people looking for robust solutions to their cross-browser testing challenges, LambdaTest has a wide range of features with reliable services.