Why is Cross-Browser Testing Important?

When it comes time to turn your site from a mockup to something fully functional, you’ll want to make sure that it works great for everyone visiting your site whether they’re using Internet Explorer, Firefox, or any other browser.

Here’s a quick explanation of cross-browser testing and some useful resources for designers and developers:

1. Your site will look different in different browsers. That’s because browsers understand some code slightly differently (kind of like the difference between American English and British English).
2. Your designer should be testing to make sure that your site works well in all modern browsers. At Insivia we test site functionality in at least Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera.
3. There are ways to check which browsers your audience is using to see your site. Google Analytics is a good tool to access this info.
4. New browsers are becoming more and more standards-compliant (meaning they all follow the same rules for code), so hopefully this will be one less headache for designers and developers.

Useful links and resources for designers and developers:

• Check out how well your browser renders sites using the Web Standards Acid Test.
• Freelance Folder lists some great free tools for designers to test cross-browser compatability.
• Mac and PC users alike can delight in Safari 4, which has ridiculously useful tools to help you see sites in different browsers and versions.

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