Are you a Safari automation testing segment newcomer trying to perfect your skills? You must follow a series of pro tips and strategies to ensure the proper execution of your automation testing processes across multiple platforms and devices.
Safari testing is an essential part of the modern automation testing processes as Safari is the default browser on all Apple-based devices. So, Safari has millions of users globally who can become prospective clients of your app with proper support.
However, compared to other browsers available in the market, the testers must implement a few changes to ensure robust automation testing on Safari. This article will reveal some of the most pro tips and strategies for efficient Safari automation testing. We will also cover some of the best practices, tools, and techniques related to this process.
What is the Importance of Safari Testing
The following reasons will justify the importance of Safari testing in the modern app development and testing life cycle:
-
Cross-Browser Compatibility
Users can access the Safari browser on multiple Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Mac devices. So, by testing the performance on Safari, the testers can ensure that the app is stable on multiple Apple devices and provides a consistent end-user experience.
-
iOS Ecosystem
Since Safari is the default browser of all Apple devices, testers must keep it on their compatibility list. Moreover, in recent years, the popularity of Apple devices has been massively rising. So, the testers can expect that the app’s compatibility with Safari will also result in increased end-users in the long run.
-
Performance and User Experience
Safari automation testing has a huge role in helping the testers identify performance issues, UI glitches, and other usability issues. Removing these issues, mainly specific to the Safari browser, will ensure a smooth end-user experience on all the browser instances.
Tools for Safari Testing
While executing Safari automation testing, the developers will come across various tools and platforms easily available in the market, which can help simplify the testing process. To further shed more light on this segment, we have mentioned some of the most valuable tools regarding this process:
-
WebDriverIO
WebDriverIO is a highly flexible web automation framework for Node.JS apps. It can support Safari automation testing using the WebDriver protocol. This automation framework also has a user-friendly UI and smooth integration with Safari WebDriver for easy testing.
-
Selenium
Selenium is the most well-known automation test suite for executing web app automation testing. This test suite also supports Safari testing using the dedicated SafariDriver extension. With this test suite, the testers can automate Safari browser actions using any of their chosen programming languages.
-
Appium
As Selenium is the most famous name in the web automation testing segment, Appium is also the most renowned name in the mobile app automation testing segment. The testers can utilize this tool to automatically verify the performance of iOS, Android, and Windows apps.
Using Appium, the testers can execute Safari browser automation testing on iOS devices to automate the web interactions within the Safari browser on multiple iPads and iPhones.
-
XCTest
This is Apple’s native and dedicated testing framework for verifying the performance of iOS and Mac operating system apps. This framework provides the highest support for Safari automation testing on Mac OS. This support also enables the testers to write the test cases in Objective-C or Swift.
Pro Tips for Efficient Safari Automation Testing
As mentioned earlier, various steps can help developers improve the efficiency of Selenium test cases. To further help the newcomers in this segment, we have mentioned some of the major ones below:
-
Using Real Devices for Testing
Most testers use various forms of emulation software that allow the repling of these ice environments on their system. This process not only eliminates the expenses of having a physical device lab but also removes the hassle of frequently updating them according to market standards.
However, it is essential to understand that emulators and simulators cannot replicate the physical parameters of a device, including broken display, user interaction errors, or low battery.
So, we can easily say that it is almost impossible to ignore the importance of accurate device testing in modern app development scenarios.
-
Using Cloud Testing Platforms
In the previous point, we have already established the importance of accurate device testing in the modern app development. However, the best middle ground in this segment would be integrating cloud platforms as the best alternative to real devices through remote servers. One such cloud-testing platform is LambdaTest.
LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations.
It also provides advanced features like parallel test execution, comprehensive test reporting, native bug tracking, and live test activity logging. While using the device farm of LambdaTest, the developers can also access various output versions and legacy devices to expand app compatibility further.
-
Optimizing Test Scripts for Safari
While executing Safari automation testing, the testers must keep some considerations in mind during the test script creation process. For instance, the testers must consider the peculiarities and limitations of this browser.
Consider the example of specific instances where Safari may handle the JavaScript events differently from other browsers like Firefox and Chrome. So, the testers must ensure that the test scripts are reliable and robust across different browsers, including Safari instances.
-
Implementing Explicit Waits
It is common for Safari automation test cases to encounter timing issues due to Safari’s different rendering behavior or low latency problems. By implementing explicit waits, the testers can ensure the system can automatically pause the test instances for specific conditions to be made before proceeding to the next phase of the testing cycle.
Therefore, this approach will allow the testers to improve the overall reliability and stability of the testing life cycle.
-
Parallel Test Execution
Modern apps rely on various elements to ensure the entire combined infrastructure functions correctly. So, it becomes equally essential for the testers to verify the placement and implementation of all these elements. If the testers wanted to confirm all these tests individually, it would take them several months to wrap up these test cases.
While implementing Safari browser automation testing, we advise the testers to implement parallel test execution. Parallel test execution is the process of initiating and running multiple test instances on different machines and configurations at the same time.
While using Selenium for Safari automation testing, the testers can use the dedicated Selenium Grid. Selenium Grid uses the principle of a hub connected to several nodes to implement parallel testing. In this principle, whenever the system receives any test instance, it will analyze its parameters and send it to the dedicated element for the execution process.
-
Monitor Test Execution and Performance
After implementing all the tips we discussed earlier, the testers can closely monitor the test execution process. This will help them find various performance bottlenecks and critical errors in the earlier phases before they can drastically impact the functioning of the app infrastructure.
To further streamline this process, the testers can integrate the Safari automation test scripts into continuous integration pipelines, which will implement constant testing and rapid feedback.
The testers can rely on tools like Travis CI, Jenkins, or GitHub Actions to perform this process. These tools will be responsible for automating the execution of Safari testing on every code change, which will allow for the early implementation of feedback cycles.
Best Practices for Safari Testing
While implementing Safari automation testing, we highly suggest that app testers keep the following best practices in mind: These practices will ensure that they can use the full potential of their established testing environment:
- It is essential to understand that it is almost impossible to guarantee the app’s compatibility on all devices and operating systems. So, the testers must survey the target audience and create a list of the most popular devices within this segment. Using this list, the testers can streamline the app delivery process to ensure they can focus on the correct parameters for their business growth.
- The testers must choose the proper automation framework based on the testing requirements and personal preferences. After selecting this framework, we suggest that developers and testers go through the official documentation to understand all the available features.
- Although automation testing is an essential comtoe development life cycle, certain test cases like exploratory testing rely on human testers’ experience. So, during the test planning phase, the testers must separate the test instances that cannot be conducted with automation testing.
- It is essential to review the app code frequently to ensure that it meets the expectations of the changing app development industry and incorporates all the new features that will be constantly updated within the app infrastructure.
- Finally, we would advise the testers to maintain a comprehensive documentation covering everything from the implementation to the testing process. This documentation will also store clear information about all the test cases, the final results, and the bugs detected. It will help the testers to ensure code reusability and seamless release of future application updates.
The Bottom Line
Keeping in mind all our discussion parameters, we can safely conclude that efficient supply testing is essential for ensuring the performance of quality and compatibility of modern web apps on all Apple devices. Using the right tools, strategies, and best practices, the testers can massively streamline the test cases and deliver robust apps.
These apps will provide the best end-user experience and ensure consistent performance irrespective of the device or browser combination. So, whether you are a casual tester or want to implement an enterprise-level solution with Safari, these pro tips will help you achieve efficient Safari automation testing while delivering high-quality software to your customers.
