A key step to take when developing a new website is to ensure that it is compatible for different types of browsers. There are several browsers that your website’s visitors may be using, and incompatibility or formatting issues may cause your visitors to quickly click away from your website. This makes your website ineffective. While many will commonly check for compatibility with different browsers during the initial design stage as well as with design updates, the fact is that a browser testing website function needs to be completed more frequently than this. This is because changes and updates to the browsers themselves can also impact compatibility. By learning more about the need for browser testing website tasks, you can better determine when and how frequently these tests should be completed.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers in use today. You may not realize it but new releases and updates to Google Chrome are released approximately every six weeks. You can browse a development calendar for more information about these release dates. A smart idea is to mark these release dates on your own calendar to promptly ensure that your own website has not been negatively impacted by the updates.

Firefox

Another popular browser in use by many is Firefox. Firefox also releases updates approximately every six to eight weeks. This includes updates to formatting as well as features. Features may be removed, changed or broken, and this can impact your own website. Firefox also has an update release calendar that you can reference for planning.

Opera

Opera may not be quite as popular as Google Chrome or Firefox, but it nonetheless is a commonly used browser that you want your website to be compatible with. This browser essentially uses the same engine as Google Chrome, but it will require separate browser testing website tasks to be completed. Unfortunately, Opera does not have scheduled update releases, so you will need to pay attention to news about new releases and updates so that you can plan accordingly.

With how frequently new updates are released by these top browsers, it is imperative that you stay on top of the changes. If neglected for a period of time, the fix tasks can pile up. This can make testing and updates take much longer than necessary. It can also interfere with your visitors’ experiences when visiting your website.

Photo by Sean MacEntee