Cross-Browser

What Does Cross-Browser Mean?

Cross-browser refers to the ability of a website, HTML construct, application or even client-side script to work in several different environments, ones that provide its required features. Similar to the way a cross-platform program is one that can run across multiple computer platforms, cross-browser websites are capable of running in several browsers.

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Techopedia Explains Cross-Browser

Creating a cross-browser website is simple for basic sites. However, complex ones that require lot of HTML formatting and JavaScript need extra coding to be compatible. Different web browsers are known to interpret JavaScript and HTML in different ways. For example, Apple Safari and Internet Explorer make use of different rendering engines for HTML. Therefore, the same webpage can appear with different formatting in these browsers. So, it is necessary that developers design their sites in order for them to work across several browsers.

One way of ensuring compatibility is to use a basic coding method that weeds out incompatibilities between different browsers. However, if this is not possible, then a developer must customize the code accordingly. Cross-browser compatibility is very important for smooth functioning of web applications.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…