By definition, cross browser compatibility refers to the ability for a website, web application, HTML construct or client-side script to support multiple web browsers.
This is a very important issue because many different browsers are used today, and you want your site to look correct regardless of the browser your site visitor is using.
Key Browsers to Check for Compatibility:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 6
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
- Mozilla Firefox
- Opera Software’s Opera Web Browser
- Apple Safari — Used on most Mac operating systems
What Happens if my Site isn’t Cross-Browser Compatible?
Well, in short, lots of problems can occur. Take a look at the screen shots below comparing Internet Explorer 6 and Firefox.
The reason the navigation links on the left image are at the bottom is due to a 3 pixel problem with one image. Also notice that the bread crumbs (the Home > Products & Solutions links at the top) are missing in IE 6.