We all agree that we live in the post-dot-com boom digital age, where web applications are accessed through various devices and browsers, and cross-platform testing has become indispensable. This is where a web application is required to deliver a consistent experience to all its users. It has a rapidly growing user base since its inception, and it continuously evolves, making it important for developers to test their applications on this platform.
Understanding the Specific Challenges of Microsoft Edge
In 215, Edge was launched, and it has changed the most since its initial release. Especially in 2020, it switched from the original EdgeHTML engine to the Chromium base (Google Chrome is also based on Chromium), entirely changing its feature set and enhancing compatibility with web standards while at the same time introducing new challenges for web developers. For example, with Edge adding support for most other web technologies, developers have to ensure their features work with both the legacy version of the browser and the newest version.
It is imperative to test on Microsoft Edge, as this is one of the main browsers running on Windows. Windows, one of the principal and leading OSes in consumer and enterprise markets, has many applications that involve testing with Edge. Edge, being cross-platform, is available on macOS and other mobile platforms.
The Essentials of Microsoft Edge Online Testing
Online test automation tools come as a godsend to those developers who wish to serve browser compatibility without having an exhaustive set of devices and versions of browsers. That is why these tools make it easier for developers to access different versions of browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, over a cloud-based platform in various operating systems and devices. It means a simplified way to test and the ways to save your time and resources.
Using online testing platforms offers several benefits. First, they provide scalability. Developers can simulate various test scenarios across browser versions and operating systems without physical hardware. Secondly, these tools offer access to multiple browser versions, including beta and developer builds of browsers like Microsoft Edge. This is crucial for testing upcoming features and ensuring that web applications will continue to work smoothly on future browser versions.
LambdaTest: A Comprehensive Tool for Microsoft Edge Testing
LambdaTest is a prominent tool in online browser testing, offering robust features for Microsoft Edge testing. It provides an all-encompassing testing environment where developers can conduct automated and live interactive testing. This is particularly useful for checking the compatibility of web applications on various versions of Microsoft Edge.
LambdaTest supports automated testing, which allows developers to run predefined test scripts across multiple browser setups simultaneously. This automation is crucial for regression testing, ensuring that new changes to the web application do not break existing functionality. For interactive testing, LambdaTest offers real-time testing capabilities. Developers can use this to interact with their apps on Microsoft Edge in real-time, a critical capability in not only development but also in the debugging process and verification that user interaction works as expected.
LambdaTest integrates seamlessly with other tools commonly used during the development process, such as JIRA, Asana, GitHub, and Slack. These will help integrate the workflow and make team collaboration easier while keeping track of bugs and issues directly from the testing environment. This interoperability with other applications ensures productivity and quality enhancement of the web application with dealt matters in the least possible time.
They can now be guaranteed a robust and high-performing application with LambdaTest, assured on any version of Microsoft Edge. Test coverage with LambdaTest toward delivering a superior user experience is also toward users on Microsoft Edge and browsers.
How to Set Up and Execute Tests on LambdaTest
Setting up and running tests on LambdaTest for Microsoft Edge is straightforward. Here’s how you can get started:
- Create a LambdaTest Account: First, sign up or log in to your LambdaTest account.
- Access the Automation Dashboard: Navigate to the automation dashboard to set up and manage your test configurations.
- Configure Test Environment: Choose Microsoft Edge as the browser to run your tests. You can select from various versions of Edge and operating systems like Windows or macOS.
- Write Your Test Scripts: Using your favourite programming language, such as JavaScript, Python, or Java, write test scripts. LambdaTest provides support for multiple frameworks like Selenium or Cypress.
- Upload and Run Tests: Upload your test scripts to LambdaTest and execute them. You can run tests simultaneously across different versions of Microsoft Edge to check cross-version compatibility.
Example Test Script for Microsoft Edge:
From Selenium, import the web driver
. Web driver. Common. Keys import Keys
from Selenium. Web driver. Common.desired_capabilities import DesiredCapabilities
desired_cap = {
‘browser’: ‘Edge’,
‘browser_version’: ‘latest’,
‘os’: ‘Windows’,
‘os_version’: ’10’,
‘resolution’: ‘1024×768’
}
Driver = webdriver.Remote(
command_executor=’https://YourUserName:[email protected]/wd/hub’,
desired_capabilities=desired_cap)
driver.get(“https://www.example.com”)
print(driver.title)
driver.quit()
This script initializes a test on Microsoft Edge, opens a webpage, and prints the title.
Best Practices for Effective Microsoft Edge Testing
Testing on Microsoft Edge effectively requires attention to detail and understanding the browser’s specific characteristics and user base. Here are some best practices to enhance your testing effectiveness:
Regularly Update Test Scenarios
Microsoft Edge is frequently updated with new features and security patches. As a result, your testing strategies should also evolve. Make sure to:
●Update Test Cases: Regularly revise your test cases to include new browser features and modifications. This helps identify how new updates affect existing functionalities.
●Monitor Deprecated Features: Pay attention to deprecated functionalities and ensure your tests reflect these changes to avoid failures and identify potential issues before they impact users.
Prioritize Responsive Design
With Microsoft Edge available on desktop and mobile platforms, responsive design testing becomes crucial. To ensure your application performs well across all devices:
●Test Across Devices: Use tools that simulate various devices or connect multiple devices for testing. Check compatibility on different screen resolutions and orientations.
●Focus on User Experience: Make sure that buttons, forms, and navigation menus are easily accessible and functional on small screens and touch interfaces.
Utilize DevTools
Microsoft Edge’s Developer Tools are a powerful asset for developers:
●Debugging: Use the console, network, and performance panels to monitor your application’s behaviour under different conditions.
●Optimization: Leverage features like the DOM inspector and JavaScript debugger to fine-tune and optimize your site’s performance and responsiveness.
Common Pitfalls in Microsoft Edge Testing
While testing on Microsoft Edge, some common pitfalls could hinder the effectiveness of your testing efforts:
●Ignoring Console Warnings: Often, developers overlook warnings in the console. These warnings, however, can provide early indications of potential problems that could degrade the user experience or cause functionality issues.
○Solution: Always check the console for warnings and errors during the development and testing phases. Fix these issues, as they can escalate into critical errors in production.
●Overlooking Legacy Versions: It’s easy to focus solely on the latest version of Microsoft Edge. However, not all users regularly update their browsers.
○Solution: Include older versions of Microsoft Edge in your testing plans. This ensures that you maintain compatibility for users on different browser versions.
Implementing these best practices will improve the quality and reliability of your web applications on Microsoft Edge and enhance the overall user experience. Regular updates to testing scenarios and a keen focus on responsive design are critical. Moreover, effectively using Microsoft Edge’s Developer Tools can significantly streamline the debugging and optimization processes. Avoiding common pitfalls by paying attention to console warnings and supporting legacy versions will ensure that your application reaches the widest possible audience with the best possible performance.
Comparing Open-Source Tools for Microsoft Edge Testing
Some of the open-source tools to be considered while assessing testing in Microsoft Edge would be based on features, community support, and tool integration into the workflow. The two strong open-source tools are Selenium and Playwright, each of which has strong automated browser testing features and will be adopted by most developers.
Selenium
Overview: Selenium is a well-established open-source framework for automating browsers. It supports all major browsers, including Microsoft Edge, and allows testing across various operating systems.
Key Features:
● Cross-Browser Testing: Selenium has very good support for many browser integrations, thus making it very good for cross-browser testing.
●Language Flexibility: Selenium allows for languages such as Java, C#, Python, Ruby, or JavaScript to be used, implying that teams can write tests using the one in which they are most competent.
●Community and Ecosystem: Selenium has a great community, hosting the long tail of plugins and integrations to make it versatile across various testing needs.
Pros
●High flexibility and control over browser interactions.
●Extensive community support and resources.
Cons:
● It requires more setup and configuration than some dedicated commercial tools.
● Integrating with CI/CD pipelines without additional tools can be complex.
Playwright
Overview: Playwright is a relatively newer tool developed by Microsoft, which supports testing in Chromium browsers, Firefox, and WebKit. It is designed to handle modern web applications’ complexities, offering particularly useful capabilities for single-page applications.
Key Features:
●Browser Coverage: Playwright supports Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit right out of the box. This includes Microsoft Edge when using the Chromium engine.
●Modern Web Capabilities: Designed to test modern web applications, Playwright handles scenarios like single-page apps and complex interactions and can generate screenshots and videos.
●Native Language Support: Playwright offers native client libraries in JavaScript, Java, Python, and C#.
Pros:
●Supports advanced testing scenarios, including rich event-driven web applications.
● Test execution is fast due to its close integration with browser engines.
Cons:
●Less extensive community and ecosystem than Selenium, though it is rapidly growing.
●Some features might be overkill for simpler applications.
Conclusion
Testing on Microsoft Edge ensures your web applications work flawlessly across all platforms and devices.LambdaTest is one such very effective platform for executing this testing. If the developers integrate a structured testing approach with the help of robust tools, the performances of these web applications can be developed with a better user experience.
Start practising proper testing and embrace it with tools like LambdaTest to ensure your web applications follow the best quality and compatibility practices. Try LambdaTest for your Microsoft Edge testing needs and take your web development to the next level.
