browsers

3 free tools to quickly test the crossbrowser compatibility

02 May 2011 Web Design 3437

When you develop a new website or apply design changes on an existing one, it is essential to test the crossbrowser compatibility of your design in more than one browsers. This process is called crossbrowser compatibility testing. In order to do all the necessary checks you either have to install all the browsers you wish to test on your own pc or use a 3rd party service that displays you website exactly like it would appear in each browser.
There is a wide range of services for this purspose, the following 3 are the ones that from my point of view offer satisfaying results at no cost!

Adobe Browser Lab

This is a web service that is part of the Adobe CS Live services and it is free of cost (at least for now). You are only required to register on your first use. The application is very simple to use with a very charming interface. You can test your site on the latest versions and still usable versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. You will also notice that the results appear very fast in comparison to other services. In the results screen the well-designed interface lets you easily compare the results, by using various different views.

BrowserShots

This is the oldest available solution and the most complete one. Although the interface is not so sleek, the application allows you to test your site on over 60 browsers and on different operating systems. You can also set a number of more advanced options before you capture the results like the screen size of the browser, enable/disable JavaScript or Flash e.t.c. The disadvantages of this service is the long time that it takes for the results to appear and user interface that does not allow quick and easy customization of the settings.

NetRenderer

NetRenderer is a more humble solution that only lets you test your site on the different Internet Explorer versions. It currently supports all the IE versions from IE5.5 to the new IE9. There is also a browser toolbar available that allows you to quickly test any of the pages you are visiting.

Panagiotis

Written By

Panagiotis (pronounced Panayotis) is a passionate G(r)eek with experience in digital analytics projects and website implementation. Fan of clear and effective processes, automation of tasks and problem-solving technical hacks. Hands-on experience with projects ranging from small to enterprise-level companies, starting from the communication with the customers and ending with the transformation of business requirements to the final deliverable.