Blog
PreviousNext

Ensuring Cross-Browser Compatibility in Web Development

Learn why cross-browser compatibility matters, common pitfalls developers face, and practical solutions using Babel, PostCSS, and proper testing strategies.

Introduction

A beautiful design is important for any website, but even more important is ensuring functionality across all browsers.
A great-looking site that only works in one browser is essentially broken for a large part of your audience.

Recently, I’ve noticed that some websites built by frontend developers don’t fully support all browsers.
This often becomes a problem for users, as it can completely break both the functionality and aesthetics of the website.

Why Compatibility Issues Happen

Different browsers use different rendering engines, which means the same HTML, CSS, and JavaScript may behave differently:

  • Chrome / Edge → Blink
  • Firefox → Gecko
  • Safari → WebKit

Even though web standards exist, support isn’t always consistent. For example:

  • Some CSS properties may not work everywhere.
  • Certain HTML features may not be recognized.
  • Modern JavaScript APIs might not be available in older browsers.

Solutions for Developers

1. Check Browser Support Before Using Features

Use tools like Can I Use to check if a CSS property, JS API, or HTML feature is supported across browsers.

2. Use Transpilers and Post-Processors

  • Babel: Compiles modern JavaScript into a version that works in older browsers.
  • PostCSS: Processes your CSS to add vendor prefixes and ensure cross-browser compatibility.
Install Babel
pnpm add --save-dev @babel/core @babel/preset-env