With the advent of modern browsers, developers often face significant challenges when attempting to test applications on outdated platforms like Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
Fortunately, online tools and simulators have surfaced to make testing on Internet Explorer without the need for local installations possible. To ensure that your web applications continue to work correctly on all user platforms, follow this guide to run Internet Explorer online.
Key Reasons to Test on Internet Explorer
- Mandatory Use in Certain Organizations:
Many corporate environments, particularly those in regulated industries or large enterprises, rely on legacy applications that only function properly on Internet Explorer. These organizations often require employees to use IE for internal applications due to security protocols or compatibility limitations.
- Different Rendering Engine:
Unlike the WebKit engine used by Safari, the Blink engine used by Chrome, and the Gecko engine used by Firefox, Internet Explorer utilizes its proprietary Trident rendering engine to interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Extensive testing is necessary because this discrepancy may result in rendering inconsistencies and functional disparities.
- Market Share in Specific Sectors:
While its overall usage has declined, Internet Explorer still maintains a notable market share in sectors where legacy systems are prevalent or where users are slow to adopt newer browsers. For instance, in certain government agencies and financial institutions, IE may still command a significant percentage of users.
- Feature Support Variations:
Internet Explorer supports a different set of web standards and features compared to modern browsers. Features that work seamlessly in Chrome or Firefox may require specific workarounds or adjustments to function correctly in IE.
Specific Challenges of Internet Explorer Testing
Testing on Internet Explorer poses several challenges due to its unique characteristics and historical development trajectory:
- Rendering Differences:
Websites may appear differently on Internet Explorer due to its interpretation of CSS styles, HTML structure, and JavaScript behaviors. Developers often encounter issues such as layout inconsistencies, font rendering variations, and box model discrepancies.
- JavaScript Compatibility:
IE’s JavaScript engine may not support modern ECMAScript standards or may handle asynchronous operations differently. This can lead to functionality errors or performance issues that are not evident in other browsers.
- Security Vulnerabilities:
Internet Explorer, particularly older versions, may lack critical security updates and patches that are standard in newer browsers. This makes websites more vulnerable to security exploits and malicious attacks, emphasizing the importance of testing for secure interactions and data handling.
Advantages of Automation: Automating IE 11 tests with cloud device labs offers several advantages:
- Efficiency: Execute tests simultaneously across multiple IE 11 versions and device configurations, reducing testing time and effort.
- Consistency: Ensure consistent test execution and result reporting, minimizing human error and variability in test outcomes.
- Scalability: Scale your testing efforts based on project requirements, from basic functionality checks to comprehensive regression testing across different environments.
- Setup and Execution: Define test scenarios, including UI interactions, form submissions, and performance metrics, tailored to IE 11’s specific behaviors and limitations.
Compatibility Testing and Remote Internet Explorer Browser Understanding
As far as web development and testing are concerned, maintaining cross-browser compatibility is still essential. Due to its peculiar rendering engine and compatibility issues, Internet Explorer (IE), which was formerly the industry standard for web browsing, still presents certain difficulties.
A Remote Internet Explorer Browser: What Is It?
A virtualized instance of Internet Explorer running on a distant server is referred to as a remote Internet Explorer browser. With this configuration, Internet Explorer can be accessed and used by developers and testers without requiring local installation on their computers. Developers are able to test their websites for functionality and compatibility across different IE versions and setups by connecting to a remote Internet Explorer browser.
Checking for Different Versions of Internet Explorer
Emulators
Emulators are computer programmes that simulate how a new operating system or browser might behave locally. They offer a convenient means of imitating IE’s behavior, but they might not fully capture all the subtleties, particularly when it comes to rendering and performance.
Virtual Machines
Developers can design and operate several virtual computers on a single physical machine by using virtual machines, or VMs. Through virtual machine installation, developers may test their websites across several Internet Explorer versions. Because it closely resembles the real operating system and browser configuration, this method provides a more thorough testing environment.
Cloud-Based Testing Platforms
Cloud-based testing platforms have gained popularity for their ability to provide access to a vast array of real devices and browsers, including various versions of Internet Explorer. These platforms offer convenience and scalability, allowing developers to perform IE compatibility testing without the need for extensive local infrastructure.
LambdaTest is an AI-powered cloud-based platform that provides a powerful solution for performing manual and automation testing on real Internet Explorer browsers online. This platform allows you to verify the compatibility and performance of your web app on various versions of Internet Explorer without the need for extensive local setup.
Testing on macOS or Linux
Developers seeking to test their websites on IE versions must either use a Windows-based environment or leverage cloud-based services that offer IE testing capabilities. This limitation underscores the importance of diverse testing environments in ensuring broad compatibility across different user platforms.
Tests for cross-browser compatibility help developers find and fix problems with various browsers, which improves HTML code planning and rendering. By employing an array of web resources and applications, developers can efficiently accomplish their objectives related to cross-browser testing. But testing Internet Explorer (IE) on macOS using the conventional ways can be very difficult.
Common Challenges in Internet Explorer Testing
Compatibility Issues
One of the most prevalent challenges in IE testing revolves around compatibility issues. Websites that function flawlessly on modern browsers may exhibit unexpected behaviors or visual discrepancies when accessed via Internet Explorer, particularly older versions. These compatibility issues often stem from IE’s unique rendering engine and its interpretation of web standards.
Specific Bugs
Historically, certain bugs have been more commonly encountered during Internet Explorer testing. These include issues related to CSS rendering inconsistencies, JavaScript execution errors, and compatibility with newer web technologies not fully supported by older IE versions. Addressing these bugs requires meticulous testing and often necessitates specific workarounds or fallback solutions to ensure consistent user experiences across all browsers.
The Role of Online Simulators
Online simulators for Internet Explorer and Edge provide a valuable solution for developers who need to test their websites without installing these browsers on their local machines. These simulators replicate the behavior of Internet Explorer and Edge within a virtual environment, allowing developers to evaluate compatibility and identify potential issues effectively.
Evaluating Simulators: Key Criteria
To determine the effectiveness of Internet Explorer and Edge simulators, several critical factors should be considered:
Support for Multiple Browser Versions
Various versions of Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer, including older versions often used by corporations and academic institutions, should be supported by simulators. This ensures comprehensive testing across different browser environments.
Rendering Accuracy
Simulators must accurately mimic the rendering engines and behaviors of Internet Explorer and Edge. This ensures that web pages are displayed as they would be in the actual browsers, providing reliable test results.
Feature Compatibility
Essential browser functionalities such as JavaScript execution, CSS rendering, DOM manipulation, and HTML5 support should be fully replicated by the simulators. This allows developers to test all aspects of their web applications thoroughly.
Performance and Responsiveness
Simulators need to offer sufficient performance and responsiveness to enable real-time interaction with websites. This includes the ability to measure performance metrics accurately, which is crucial for optimizing user experience.
Conclusion
Running Internet Explorer online is essential for maintaining compatibility with legacy web applications and ensuring comprehensive browser testing. Depending on your particular requirements and level of technical skill, each approach—virtual machines, remote desktop services, or cloud-based testing platforms like LambdaTest—offers a few distinct benefits.
Internet Explorer users can easily switch to more contemporary surfing experiences with Microsoft Edge’s inherent compatibility capabilities, such as IE mode.
By leveraging these methods and considerations outlined in this guide, you can effectively run Internet Explorer online and navigate the complexities of web compatibility with confidence.