20 Cross-Browser Compatibility Interview Questions and Answers

Cross-browser compatibility is an important skill for any web developer or designer. With so many different browsers on the market, it is essential that your website or application can be accessed and viewed correctly on all of them. During a job interview, you may be asked questions about your experience with cross-browser compatibility and how you would go about solving various issues. Answering these questions confidently can help you land the job.

Cross-Browser Compatibility Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked Cross-Browser Compatibility interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What do you understand by cross browser compatibility?

Cross browser compatibility is the ability of a website or web application to function correctly across multiple browsers. This can be a challenge because different browsers can interpret code differently, and some browsers may not support certain features. Testing across multiple browsers is essential to ensure that your site or application will work as intended for all users.

2. Can you explain what is meant by web standards?

Web standards are the guidelines and best practices that web developers should follow when creating websites and web applications. These standards are designed to ensure that websites are accessible to all users, regardless of the device or browser they are using. By following web standards, developers can create websites that work consistently across all browsers and devices.

3. Can you give me some examples of popular browsers that are used to test the compatibility of a website?

Some popular browsers that are used to test the compatibility of a website include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari.

4. If I have already tested my website in Chrome and it works, why should I bother testing it in other browsers?

There are a few reasons. First, different browsers can render the same code differently. So even if your website looks fine in Chrome, it could look completely different in Safari. Second, different browsers have different levels of support for different web standards. So your website might work fine in Chrome because it is more forgiving of code that is not strictly standards-compliant, but it could break in Safari because Safari is more strict. Finally, different browsers have different levels of support for different technologies. So your website might use a technology that is only supported in Chrome, and as a result, it will not work at all in Safari.

5. Different browsers implement different CSS rules. How can we make sure that our websites work well across all browsers?

There are a few different ways to make sure that your website looks consistent across different browsers. One way is to use a CSS reset, which will reset all of the CSS rules for all elements to a common baseline. Another way is to use a CSS framework, such as Bootstrap, which provides a set of CSS rules that are compatible with most browsers. Finally, you can use a CSS preprocessor, such as Less or Sass, which will automatically generate cross-browser compatible CSS code for you.

6. What’s the best way to test for cross-browser compatibility issues?

The best way to test for cross-browser compatibility issues is to use a variety of different browsers and devices to test your webpages. This way, you can be sure that your pages will work correctly on a variety of different platforms.

7. Why is it important to test your site on multiple browsers before deploying it live? What problems could arise otherwise?

It is important to test your site on multiple browsers before deploying it live because different browsers can render webpages differently. This can lead to problems with your site appearing broken or not functioning properly on certain browsers. Testing on multiple browsers beforehand can help ensure that your site will work as intended for all users.

8. Is it possible to write code that will be compatible with all browsers without having to worry about cross-browser compatibility issues? If yes, then how?

No, it is not possible to write code that will be compatible with all browsers without having to worry about cross-browser compatibility issues. Different browsers interpret code differently, and what may work in one browser may not work in another. The best way to ensure cross-browser compatibility is to test your code in as many different browsers as possible.

9. Is it possible to use HTML elements without declaring their namespace? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to use HTML elements without declaring their namespace. This can be done by using the element’s local name, which is the part of the element’s name that comes after the colon (:). For example, the local name of the “html:p” element is “p”.

10. What happens if an element has no class attribute?

If an element has no class attribute, then it will not be styled by CSS.

11. What is the difference between a div element and a span element? Which one would you recommend using and when?

A div element is a block-level element, which means that it will take up the entire width of its container. A span element is an inline element, which means that it will only take up as much space as it needs. I would recommend using a div element when you want to group together a bunch of elements and have them take up the entire width of the container. I would recommend using a span element when you want to group together a few elements but don’t want them to take up the entire width of the container.

12. What do you understand about semantic markup?

Semantic markup is code that is written in a way that is easy for humans to understand. It is also code that is easy for machines to read. This means that it is well-organized and uses proper syntax. Semantic markup is important for cross-browser compatibility because it helps browsers interpret code correctly.

13. What does it mean to “validate” a HTML page?

Validating a HTML page means to check the page against a formal specification for HTML in order to ensure that it is properly formatted. This can be important for ensuring cross-browser compatibility, as different browsers may interpret invalid HTML differently.

14. Is it possible to create a single AngularJS directive that will run on any browser? If yes, then how?

Yes, it is possible to create an AngularJS directive that will run on any browser. This can be accomplished by using a directive that is specific to the browser that you are targeting. For example, if you are targeting Internet Explorer, you would use the directive “ie-select” instead of the standard “select” directive.

15. What is the purpose of the doctype declaration at the top of an HTML document?

The doctype declaration is used to tell the browser which version of HTML the document is written in. This is important for ensuring that the browser renders the document correctly.

16. What are polyfills and shims? When should they be used?

Polyfills and shims are pieces of code that are used to fill in the gaps for features that are not yet supported by a given browser. They can be used to add support for new HTML5 features, or to patch up problems with older browsers. In general, you should only use polyfills and shims when absolutely necessary, as they can add extra code bloat to your page.

17. What is the difference between a CDN and a URL?

A CDN is a content delivery network. This is a network of servers that are used to deliver content to users. A URL is a Uniform Resource Locator. This is the address of a specific resource on the internet.

18. What is the difference between inline and block elements?

Inline elements are elements that do not create a new line when they are rendered. Block elements, on the other hand, always start on a new line. This can be helpful to know when you are trying to control the layout of your page.

19. What are some common tools used for cross-browser compatibility testing?

There are a few different tools that can be used for cross-browser compatibility testing, but some of the more popular ones include BrowserStack and CrossBrowserTesting. These tools allow you to test your website or application on a variety of different browsers and devices, so you can ensure that everything is working as it should be.

20. Does W3C guarantee cross-browser compatibility?

No, the W3C does not guarantee cross-browser compatibility. However, they do provide guidelines and resources to help developers create websites and applications that work across different browsers.