Browser Compatibility Testing Risk Analysis
Learn the art of trimming browsers from a browser compatibility test list by knowing
your users, understanding how the browser works, OS & browser facts versus
misconceptions, and grouping browsers by common component versions to remove
redundancy.
Presented By: Brent Strange
Agenda
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Browser History
Who are your users?
Understand The Browser
Understand how browsers differ
Using the Browser Cheat Sheet
Your turn… A Challenge
Browser fact vs. fiction
So what is a browser compatibility defect?
Manage Risk
Questions
The History
Browser Statistics
Browser Version Market Share (01/2008)
4% 3% 1% 1%
16%
Internet Explorer 7.0
43%
Internet Explorer 6.0
Firefox 2.0
32%
Safari 3.0
Other
Safari 41
Opera 9.x
Source: marketshare.com
The Task At Hand
I want you to test our site with FireFox 1.0 – 2.0 by the end of day!
..b.. b.. but that’s over 20
released versions…
How Do You Tackle Testing This?
The Browser Dissected
Layout Engine
Shell
Features
JavaScript
Engine
Plugins
Component: Layout Engine
Layout
Engine
HTML
CSS
DOM
Component: Shell Features
Shell
Features
HTTP
Security
Cache
Component: JavaScript Engine
JavaScript
Engine
DOM Interaction
Detect User Actions
OS Ties
Component: Plugins
Plugins
Flash
Java
ActiveX
Component Differences
Internet Explorer
•Layout Engine: Trident
•JavaScript Engine: JScript
FireFox
•Layout Engine: Gecko
•JavaScript Engine: SpiderMonkey
Netscape
•Layout Engine: Gecko
•JavaScript Engine: SpiderMonkey
Opera
•Layout Engine: Presto
•JavaScript Engine: linear_b, futhark
Safari
•Layout Engine: KHTML
•JavaScript Engine: WebKit (Webcore & JavaScriptCore)
The Browser Cheat Sheet
Removing Browser Redundancy
FireFox
2.0.0.5
FireFox
2.0.0.11
FireFox
2.0.0
FireFox
2.0.0.11
Removing OS Redundancy
IE 6
IE 6
Win2000
WinXP
IE 6
Ser 2003
IE 6
WinXP
Determine the Test Matrix
Understand the Components
JavaScript?
Plugins?
Rendering?
Shell?
Analyze the Risk
Cheat Sheet
Group and/or Discard
Test
Back to: The Task At Hand
I want you to test our site with FireFox 1.0 – 2.0 by the end of day!
End of day?! Hah...
I’ll have it done in 2 hours.
Challenge: One small change?
I only changed 1 line of JavaScript code
Response.Write( Math.Round(3.1415) );
to
Response.Write( Math.PI );
Determine the Test Matrix
Understand the Change
JavaScript, Layout
Analyze the Risk
Cheat Sheet
Group and/or Discard
Test
Browser Fact vs. Fiction
Find Browser Compatibility Defects
So…what is a browser compatibility defect?
Manage Risk
• Set Expectations
o Define Browser Assumptions
o Define OS Assumptions
• Define the browser list to be tested
• Defend your strategy with facts
Questions
About
Download this presentation and handouts at:
http://QAInsight.net