What are the best practices for software testing across platforms, devices, and browsers?

1 Understand the scope and objectives

Before you start testing, you need to have a clear understanding of the scope and objectives of your software testing project. What are the expected outcomes, deliverables, and timelines? What are the target platforms, devices, and browsers that you need to test on? What are the key features and functionalities that you need to verify? What are the risks and dependencies that you need to consider? Having a well-defined scope and objectives will help you plan, prioritize, and execute your software testing activities more effectively and efficiently.

2 Choose the right tools and methods

Depending on the scope and objectives of your software testing project, you may need to use different tools and methods to test your software across platforms, devices, and browsers. For example, you may need to use manual testing, automated testing, or a combination of both. You may also need to use different types of testing, such as functional testing, usability testing, performance testing, security testing, or compatibility testing. You may also need to use different tools and frameworks, such as Selenium, Appium, Cucumber, or TestNG, to support your testing activities. Choosing the right tools and methods will help you achieve your software testing goals more efficiently and effectively.

3 Test on real devices and browsers

One of the best practices for software testing across platforms, devices, and browsers is to test on real devices and browsers as much as possible. Real devices and browsers will give you the most accurate and realistic feedback on how your software works in different environments and scenarios. Testing on real devices and browsers will also help you identify and resolve any issues or bugs that may not be detected by simulators or emulators. However, testing on real devices and browsers can be costly and time-consuming, so you may need to use a device cloud service, such as BrowserStack or Sauce Labs, to access a variety of devices and browsers online.

4 Use cross-browser testing tools

Another best practice for software testing across platforms, devices, and browsers is to use cross-browser testing tools. Cross-browser testing tools are software applications that allow you to test your software on multiple browsers and browser versions simultaneously. Cross-browser testing tools can help you save time and effort by automating your testing tasks and generating reports and screenshots. Cross-browser testing tools can also help you ensure that your software is compatible and consistent across different browsers and browser versions. Some of the popular cross-browser testing tools are LambdaTest, CrossBrowserTesting, and Browserling.

5 Follow coding standards and best practices

One of the most important best practices for software testing across platforms, devices, and browsers is to follow coding standards and best practices. Coding standards and best practices are guidelines and rules that help you write clean, readable, and maintainable code. Following coding standards and best practices will help you avoid common errors and bugs, improve your code quality and performance, and enhance your software compatibility and security. Some of the coding standards and best practices that you should follow are using semantic HTML, validating your code, optimizing your images, using responsive design, and testing your code regularly.

6 Perform regression testing and user acceptance testing

The final best practice for software testing across platforms, devices, and browsers is to perform regression testing and user acceptance testing. Regression testing is the process of testing your software after making any changes or updates to ensure that the existing features and functionalities are not affected or broken. User acceptance testing is the process of testing your software with real users or stakeholders to ensure that it meets their expectations and requirements. Performing regression testing and user acceptance testing will help you ensure that your software is ready for deployment and delivery.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?