Cross-Browser Testing

With Silk Test Workbench, you can easily verify the functionality of even the most advanced web application across a variety of browsers, with a single, portable visual test or test script. Silk Test Workbench provides leading support for effective and maintainable cross-browser testing with modern web technologies.

One of the main challenges in test automation is to create and maintain test cost effectively. As different browsers behave differently, web application validation is hard to carry out productively. Silk Test Workbench enables you to focus on writing tests, as it handles the following three areas of cross-browser testing:

Built-in synchronization
This enables you to create scripts that run on all supported browsers, without the need to manually synchronize against asynchronous events, which are typical of highly dynamic web applications such as AJAX, or HTML5. Silk Test Workbench supports synchronization modes for HTML or AJAX as well as all major web environments including Apache Flex, Microsoft Silverlight, and HTML5/AJAX. For additional information, see Page Synchronization for xBrowser.
Unified object model
Silk Test Workbench enables you to create and maintain a test which runs across a wide range of different browsers. A unified object model across all browsers gives you the ability to focus on a single browser when you create or maintain a test. Silk Test Workbench ensures that the object you interact with is accessible in the same way on all the other browsers, which saves time and enables you to focus on testing rather than on finding workarounds for different browsers.
Out-of-the-box recording of a cross-browser script
Record a script once and replay it in all the other browsers, without any modifications. This significantly reduces the time and effort it takes to create and maintain test scripts. Nothing is simulated - testing is carried out across real browsers, which ensures that the test behaves exactly as it does for your end user.
With Silk Test Workbench, you can replay tests against web applications that use:
  • Internet Explorer.
  • Mozilla Firefox, both on Microsoft Windows and on macOS.
  • Google Chrome, both on Microsoft Windows and on macOS.
  • Microsoft Edge.
  • Chrome for Android on an Android device.
  • Apple Safari, both on macOS and on an iOS device.
  • Embedded browser controls.
Note: You can record tests for web applications using one of the following browsers:
  • Internet Explorer.
  • Microsoft Edge.
  • Mozilla Firefox, both on Microsoft Windows and on macOS.
  • Google Chrome, both on Microsoft Windows and on macOS.
  • A mobile browser on a mobile device.
When recording a script for cross-browser testing, Micro Focus recommends using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, as a script recorded with Silk Test Workbench against Internet Explorer might slightly differ in comparison to a script recorded on one of the other browsers.
Note: Before you record or playback web applications, disable all browser add-ons that are installed in your system. To disable add-ons in Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options, click the Programs tab, click Manage add-ons, select an add-on and then click Disable.

For information about new features, supported platforms, and tested versions, refer to the Release Notes.

Sample Applications

To access the Silk Test sample web applications, go to: