Responsive Web Design Testing: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

With the proliferation of mobile devices, Internet access through these platforms has increased significantly in recent years. One of the main expectations of Internet users these days is the existence of mobile versions of websites.

However, many websites do not optimize effectively for mobile devices as they should. To check this, testers are required to perform mobile responsive testing on designing the responses.

Traditional software products are displayed in the same manner across all devices.

For instance, Microsoft Office has the same display on every computer. Visualize transferring Microsoft Word as it appears on your desktop and attempt viewing it on an iPhone4. Either the minimized menus and buttons will be difficult to see or you’d just view a limited portion of the screen necessitating extensive scrolling. In either of these cases, the application is rendered ineffective.

This experience of frustration is a commonplace occurrence for every designer while designing for the web.

The resolution to this issue is called “responsive design”, a method that enables web pages to adjust to varying screen resolutions and tailor the user experience accordingly. Suddenly, predicting exactly what your software would look like in production becomes impossible.

This implies the test strategy (and automation strategy) must be equipped to experiment and learn what ‘looks right’ and what doesn’t at different resolutions.

A Beginner’s Guide to Testing Responsive Website Designs

When a website is accessed, the server reads “m.sub-domains” to identify the mobile device from which the request originated and reroutes the user to the corresponding mobile version.

To attain full effectiveness in this procedure, each device should possess a unique website design that has been specifically created for it. For instance, BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad, etc., should bear different designs, taking into accounts their individual screen sizes and resolutions.

Creating separate web versions for every resolution and device, however, is not feasible. To counter this problem, Ethan Marcotte introduced a novel method called Responsive Web Design (RWD).

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Our Suggestion

#1) LT Browser

LT Browser assists users in testing and correcting issues on their websites across more than 45 device viewports. With LT Browser, a developer-friendly browser for debugging the mobile view, you can test your website on a variety of pre-set mobile and desktop device viewports. You can select two devices for side-by-side comparison of views.

In addition to testing, LT Browser also allows users to debug their websites on the go with the help of the built-in DevTools. You can even create a custom device based on your needs. LT Browser is our top recommendation for responsive testing.

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Understanding Responsive Web Design

The objective of Responsive Web Design (RWD) is to facilitate websites to respond and adapt suitably to different devices and resolutions. For instance, if a user moves from a desktop or laptop to an iPad, the website should automatically alter the resolution and supplementary elements, like the size of the image, to guarantee a seamless user experience.

In a nutshell, Responsive Design signifies “One website for each screen”.

Here’s an example of RWD:

Note: A live example of a responsive website is www.fpl.com

In RWD, the design of websites is tailored to offer superior user experience facilitated by easy navigation and a clear, simple user interface. Responsive websites function well across all resolutions, browsers, screen sizes, hardware, and operating systems.

• Responsive websites are designed using PHP, .Net, Java, CQ5, amongst many other platforms that enable the easy creation of responsive designs.
• CSS and HTML features are utilized to automatically modify screen resolutions and images.
• RWD uses breakpoints to recognize the layout of a site. Different designs are applied depending on these breakpoints, which are usually reliant on the width of the browser.
• When devising a responsive website, developers consider the site’s content, design, and performance across all devices to ensure usability.

The diagram below is an apt depiction of how content adapts to different devices.

Note: Another approach to responsive design is the Adaptive Web Design (AWD). In AWD, each device possesses a specific design, but it may not be apt in all cases as it necessitates more time and resources compared to RWD.

Benefits of Responsive Design:

#1) User Experience: Responsive websites adapt to varying devices, concealing superfluous elements, and aiding users in achieving their objectives quicker. For instance, when a responsive website is accessed on a mobile device, it conceals irrelevant elements, accelerating the page loading process.

#2) Sharing or Linking: Responsive websites employ a single URL for various devices, offering a superior user experience and simpler sharing.

#3) Minimal maintenance is necessitated for a responsive website.

#4) Responsive layouts are modifiable and adapt to varying screen sizes.

Difference between Responsive Web Design and Adaptive Web Design:

RWD and AWD are closely related:

• RWD promptly reacts to changes, whereas AWD can be easily modified for new purposes.
• RWD employs several fluid grid layouts, whereas AWD uses multiple fixed-width layouts.
• RWD images are context-aware.

Key Elements of Responsive Website Design:

Responsive Web Design comprises three primary elements:

#1) Flexible Layouts: A website with a modifiable grid that can be easily resized dynamically.

#2) Media Queries: Offer contrasting styles for browsers and devices based on context, like screen orientation and viewport size.

#3) Flexible Media: Images, videos, and other forms of media should also modify their size or resolution based on the screen size requirements.

Note: “Viewport” refers to the part of the browser where the website’s content is shown, excluding toolbars and tabs.

Examples of Responsive Web Design

Example #1)

Open the website www.fpl.com on different devices and observe the URL. A responsive website’s URL should be identical on all devices.

a) View of the responsive website on a desktop or laptop (large screen size)

b) View of the responsive website on a tablet (medium screen size)

c) View of the responsive website on a mobile (small screen size)

Example #2)

Open the site www.yepme.com on a laptop and a mobile device and compare the URLs. This link does not offer a responsive link.

a) View of a non-responsive website on a desktop or laptop

b) View of a non-responsive website on a mobile

Procedure to Test a Responsive Website

The process of testing a responsive website involves testing the website or URL on varying devices. Manual testing is not possible owing to the vast number of potential device configurations.

One possible option for responsive testing is to alter the browser window in accordance with the test scenario. Some browsers offer plugins or extensions to view the viewport area in pixels, facilitating easier testing. Other browsers, like Chrome, offer a feature called “Emulator” to change the screen features and environment to mimic the desired testing device.

However, solely relying on emulators may not provide a precise testing environment. In such cases, it is recommended to test on the actual devices to ensure accurate test results.

Sample Test Scenarios for Testing a Responsive Website:

While testing a responsive website, it is important to ensure design consistency across varying devices and resolutions. Here are some sample test scenarios for testing a responsive website:

#1) Validate that the URL remains the same for all browsers and devices, regardless of the screen resolution.

#2) Check that the display location of content (images, sub-links, menus, etc.) changes dynamically based on the screen resolution.

#3) Ensure that the URLs of the sub-links on the responsive website are specific to the resolution.

#4) Validate that the user experience (content visibility, menus, etc.) remains consistent across different devices and breakpoints.

#5) Test if the responsive website redirects to the respective mobile application when clicking on specific sub-links.

#6) Check that images on the responsive website are specific to the resolution.

#7) Test for any unexpected redirects when clicking anywhere on the web page.

#8) Verify that images and other content adapt dynamically at breakpoints.

Tools for Testing a Responsive Website

Several tools are available for testing responsive websites:

#1) Responsive design checker – A tool to test and preview responsive websites on different device viewports.

#2) Screenfly – A tool to test responsive websites by selecting different device layouts or customized resolutions.

#3) Designmodo – A tool to test and capture responsive screenshots of website designs.

#4) isResponsive – Another tool to test and preview responsive websites on different devices.

#5) Mattkersley – A tool to view responsive websites on multiple screen sizes at the same time.

These tools can assist in testing responsive websites and confirming that they function correctly across different devices and resolutions.

Challenges and Viable Solutions in Testing a Responsive Design

Dynamic Test Strategy

Testing responsive designs can be challenging due to the large number of possible platforms and screen sizes. Traditional test approaches may not be apt as they can be time-consuming and hard to maintain. Visual testing can offer a scalable solution by capturing full-page screenshots and comparing on-page elements. This approach reduces the maintenance load and provides more trustworthy results.

Responsive Testing for Responsive Design

Responsive design presents a coverage issue as there is a myriad of potential platforms and screen sizes. It is important to strike a balance between technical feasibility and test coverage. Visual testing can assist in achieving good UI coverage while managing the maintenance burden. Combining visual testing with UI automation frameworks, such as a web driver, can offer a scalable solution.

Guidelines for a Responsive Web Testing

#1) Focus on design consistency across different browsers and operating systems.

#2) Acquaint yourself with the testing scope and strategy for different devices and breakpoints.

#3) Collaborate with developers to establish the required test conditions.

#4) Ensure that the website content is legible at all resolutions.

#5) Confirm that crucial content remains visible across all breakpoints.

#6) Test the clickability of elements while resizing the browser.

#7) Test features specific to mobile devices on actual devices.

#8) Use tools to simplify and automate responsive testing tasks.

Wrapping Up

Testing responsive web design presents its own set of challenges. However, with the correct strategy and tools, these challenges can be tackled. Responsive testing is key to the success of mobile applications, as mobile users have high expectations. Implementing and thoroughly testing responsive design is an effective way to meet these expectations and deliver a seamless user experience.

We hope the details, guidelines, and test scenarios discussed in this guide prove helpful in your testing efforts for responsive websites. Don’t hesitate to try out the examples and let us know if you have any queries or thoughts.

About the author: This guest post was penned down by Laxmi, a seasoned software test engineer with over seven years of experience in the field of software testing.