We have heard enough that technology is evolving and with that cross browser compatibility testing is gaining traction.

1. Cross Browser Compatibility Testing –
What Browsers Should You Test?
Introduction
We have heard enough that technology is evolving and with that cross browser
compatibility testing is gaining traction. Although the users are becoming more tech
savvy and informed, they are still reluctant to try out different browsers. Businesses
have different types of users, which means not everyone will use one kind of
browser. Even though there is a high demand for Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari,
there still are users who rely on older versions of browsers other than these.
Because of which businesses end up accommodating outdated technology that
leads to a slower system and dissatisfied customers. Cross browser compatibility
testing ensures that customers don’t become bait to the consequences of outdated
systems. And hence the need for a thorough cross browser compatibility testing is
vital for businesses to resolve Cross Browser Compatibility issues and ensure the
best user experience.
What is cross browser compatibility testing?

2. Every website communicates in a unique way with every browser; even each
browser renders the website in a distinctive way. This often causes cross browser
compatibility issues at different stages. The overall visual appearance of the website
isn’t only dependent on the front end development but also on the type of browser
used to access the website. To avoid cross browser differences, businesses should
practice cross browser compatibility testing to guarantee consistent delivery of
quality user experience. Cross browser compatibility testing is a non-functional
testing that enables businesses to offer best features of the website on different OS-
Device-browser combinations.
Why is Cross browser compatibility important?
The key function of cross browser testing is to make your website workable across
different browsers and devices. The older versions of the browser pose errors and
problems in making the best out of the website’s features. With the help of Cross
Browser Compatibility Testing, you can test the capability and limitations of the
devices. Compatibility can be tested in case of older browsers that are not updated
by users, for the browsers that do not support modern JS or CSS features,
compatibility of less common browsers, a range of device platforms, and devices
with assistive technology features, etc.
Which browsers should you choose for cross browser testing?
We already know that all browsers are different and it is practically not feasible
to test every browser-device combination. So, it becomes important to choose which

3. ones are critical to your business where your web application can be tested for
compatibility issues.
According to Statista’s 2023 data, Google Chrome has 62.82% user base, highest
Global Desktop browser market share followed by Safari (20.86%), Microsoft
Edge (5.28%), Mozilla Firefox (2.77%), Samsung (2.52%), and so on. Clearly,
Google Chrome has captured the maximum market but that does not mean that
other browsers are not meant for you. Safari, Edge, Firefox, etc have a great
demand in specific devices and different regions of the world. So, no browser can be
ignored and parts of it should be tested for compatibility based on user traffic. Below
is the data from Statista showing market share of different browsers over the years
till May 2023.

4. Source: Global market share held by leading internet browsers from January 2012 to
May 2023, Statista
Is the market share enough to decide the browser you should choose to test?
Well, analysis of the volume of users and market share of various popular browsers
and their versions based on geography and different platforms is critical to business
for strategizing cross browser testing of their application. But, it is not the only reason
to make a decision. Other factors:
Target Market: A business should understand their target market and what browsers
most of its users are choosing. It is the first factor a business considers for
compatibility testing.
Older Versions: Many users globally use older versions of Windows OS and still
choose older versions of Firefox. In this case, testing for Firefox Compatibility is
important.
Business Indicators and Value Addition: We know Safari is the second most used
web browser in the world. So it is clear that the users who use Safari use Apple
products which are quite expensive to many. This means Safari represents that
section of users which has high purchasing capacity. It acts as a business indicator
and makes Safari an important browser to be tested for compatibility despite their
lower global user base. Luxury brands and marketers should ensure their website
runs smoothly on Safari so they don’t lose any customers because of poor
website usability or compatibility issues.

5. Geographical orientation: Certain browsers have a high user base concentrated on a
particular geography or location. There are specific market segments focused on the
US, ASIA, UK , etc. For example, Google Chrome, which is the most popular
browser than UC Browser, is mostly used in Asian regions, Opera in Africa, and so
on. So, businesses should understand the trends and their target market segment
based on Geography so that no important browser is deprived to perform the
compatibility testing.
Importance of Testing Old Browser Versions
The latest Google Chrome version is Chrome 114, but there are chances that users
would still be using its older versions like Chrome 109, 105, 104. But, how would it
impact your business, is a question we all ask. The continuation of using the old
browsers will directly impact the functioning of your website. The website will stop
running or might crash altogether. Businesses might lose customer traffic and
ultimately impact the revenue figures. So, it is vital for businesses to be testing on
old browsers when automating the Cross Browser Testing. We’ve listed down a few
more aspects to think about to encourage testing of old browsers when performing
cross browser testing – –
1. To provide seamless User Experience: Ensure that the User Interface looks the same in all browsers/
browser versions to maintain the HTML and CSS compatibility. The user experience is one of the key
reasons that motivate the customer to stay with your business. Why not adhere to this simple practice if
it helps in customer retention?

6. 2. To Retain Customers: Not all users keep their browsers up-to-date. Frequent browser version releases
need to be checked to ensure compatibility with every browser version, or it might just disrupt the
functioning of the business website and cause loss of customer traffic.
3. Company Security: Sometimes, the company restricts updating the website frequently because of
security reasons and prefers sticking to the older versions.
4. Impact on Revenue: Businesses exist because customers and customers are their revenue sources.
Most customers engage in business through a website. If the businesses fail to provide the best website
experience to the customers, then, no matter how great the quality of your product/ service is, the
unhappy customer ultimately switches to another business, resulting in the business losing money. So,
whatever you are selling, keep in mind that your customer can visit your website from any browser
version, so testing even the older browser versions becomes essential.
RELEVANCE OF BROWSERS OTHER THAN CHROME
Browsers like Firefox, Safari, Edge are very significant to businesses despite their
low global usage. Safari is used by apple users representing the people with high
purchasing power; hence, it is relevant to luxury brands to test website compatibility
on Safari. Microsoft’s Edge or Firefox are popular among companies using Microsoft
Office tools more, so they should test compatibility even on these two browsers.
The chart below (By Statcounter) shows the latest trends of browser market shares
in the past year. It is clear from the chart that apart from Chrome and Safari, other
trending browsers are Firefox followed by Samsung Internet that has shown an
increasing trend in the past few months. Also, Edge, Opera, UC Browser, and Edge
legacy are a few other browsers preferred worldwide.

7. CHOOSING BROWSERS BASED ON CONTINENTS
By now, we know that Chrome is the most popular Web Browser among most users.
Let us figure out which one is the second most famous browser in the world based
on continents.
ASIA:
After Google Chrome and Safari, Edge is the most trending browser in Asia in 2023,
followed by Samsung Internet, UC Browser, Opera, etc. So, the Edge browser is
among the top three contenders in the Asian Market.
Top 3: Chrome, Safari, and Edge.
Africa
The stats above show the trends from June 2023 in the African Continent. After
Google Chrome, Safari and Opera are struggling to be the second most preferred
browser followed by Samsung Internet, Edge, Firefox, etc.
Top 3: Chrome, Safari, Opera

8. EUROPE
Even in Europe, Google Chrome, Safari remain on the top. The above yearly figures
show that there is tough competition among all other browsers. Edge and Firefox are
among the top contenders of the Third position in Europe, followed by the rest of the
browsers.
Top 3: Chrome, Safari, Edge
North America
In North America, after Google Chrome, Safari and Edge there is a tight competition
for fourth place among browsers like Opera and Firefox.
Top 3: Chrome, Safari, Edge
South America
Google Chrome and Safari are unequivocally the top most popular browsers even in
South America. Contenders for Third place are Opera and Edge followed by
Samsung, Firefox, etc.
TOP 3: Chrome, Safari, Opera

9. OCEANIA/ AUSTRALIA
In the Oceania region, Chrome is on the top. Safari outruns other browsers like Edge
and Firefox for the number two spot.
Top 3: Chrome, Safari, Edge
Antarctica
Most businesses ignore Antarctica thinking about its low population of approximately
4000 people residing in research stations. It is interesting to know, even in such
extreme situations and with the widest reach of the internet, which browser
Antarcticans prefer when they browse the internet in such conditions. In Antarctica,
Safari seems to dominate the browser market, while Google Chrome manages to
take the second place, followed by Firefox, Edge, Samsung Internet, etc.
Top 3: Safari, Chrome, Firefox.
CHOOSING BROWSERS BASED ON DIFFERENT DEVICES
Targeting browsers based on different devices they are used on is critical information
for the business decisions regarding compatibility testing. Let’s have a look:

10. Desktop:
Google Chrome dominates the global desktop market in June 2023. Safari is the
second most popular with just a few points higher than Edge, followed by Firefox,
and Opera, competing for the fourth position.
Mobile:
In the global mobile market June 2023, Google Chrome again stands tall. Safari has saved
its second position, followed by Samsung Internet maintaining the third spot, as expected.
Tablet:
Chrome again dominates the market with many users possibly using tablets with the
Chrome browser on it as opposed to Apple tablets that run the default safari
browser. A couple of years ago, Apple’s safari dominated the market. Android
Browser is another contender that has seen steady growth over the years.
FEASIBILITY OF TESTING SO MANY BROWSERS
How to solve Cross browser Compatibility issues for so many browsers is a question
that comes to every mind. Running Cross browser testing on a mix of browsers

11. running on multiple OS and computer systems can be a nightmare for many
enterprises. What to do to overcome this?
Once the right choice of browsers is made based on the data provided above,
businesses can start performing cross browser compatibility testing either manually
or using automation tools like Selenium, which is the most preferred tool in the
automation testing space. Based on the budget and cost limitations, organizations
can also perform cross browser testing on a cloud-based platform
like pCloudy instead of maintaining an in-house real browser lab. By keeping in mind
the type of audience, browser matrix, right automation tool, and testing on real
devices, one can successfully implement cross browser compatibility testing.
Conclusion
What browsers to test is not a research-based decision; it depends on which
browsers your target market prefers. It is the responsibility of the businesses to
provide hassle-free access to the website features to the users. For an
effective cross browser compatibility testing strategy, an enterprise should keep in
mind the type of audience, its browser matrix, automation tool selection, and
decisions regarding testing on real browsers. You just need to find the right balance-
choosing minimum browsers-OS combinations to ensure maximum target audience
coverage and user experience.