Hey everyone,
I’m curious about your browser choices for automated testing. I usually stick to the big names because it’s easier to find help when things go wrong.
For my personal browsing, I love Firefox. But when it comes to headless instances, I’ve had some issues. Firefox sometimes struggles with certain media types, probably because of licensing stuff.
What’s been your experience? Do you have a favorite browser for automation? Any tips or tricks you’ve learned along the way?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and maybe pick up some new ideas. Thanks in advance for sharing!
For automated testing, I’ve found Chrome to be the most reliable workhorse. Its extensive DevTools and robust WebDriver support make it ideal for most scenarios. That said, I always recommend cross-browser testing to catch edge cases.
In my experience, Safari can be finicky with certain JavaScript operations, while Edge has improved significantly in recent years. For mobile testing, I use Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS to cover the majority of use cases. One tip: keep your WebDriver and browser versions in sync to avoid compatibility issues. Also, consider using tools like Selenium Grid or cloud-based solutions for easier management of multiple browser versions and platforms. They can be a real time-saver in larger projects.
i’ve been using selenium with firefox lately. it’s pretty solid for most stuff. chrome used to be my go-to but firefox has really stepped up its game. one trick i learned: use explicit waits instead of sleeps. makes your tests way more stable. also, don’t forget to clear cookies between test runs to avoid weird state issues
I’ve been using Puppeteer with Chrome for most of my automated testing lately, and it’s been a game-changer. The API is super intuitive, and it handles dynamic content really well. Plus, the ability to generate PDFs and screenshots is a nice bonus for reporting.
One thing I’ve learned the hard way is to always set a proper timeout for your tests. I once had a suite that would randomly fail because some elements took longer to load than expected. Implementing smart waits and retries made everything much more stable.
As for cross-browser testing, I usually run the core tests in Chrome and then do a smaller subset in Firefox and Edge. It’s a balance between coverage and maintenance overhead. BrowserStack has been helpful for checking those pesky IE11 edge cases that some clients still insist on supporting.