The increasing growth in mobile usage is more rapid than ever before thanks to worldwide digital transformation waves. To serve such rising customer’s demands, most software applications have an equivalent mobile-app version. This accelerating proliferation of mobile applications forces businesses to put more emphasis on mobile testing.
With such significant growth in the mobile industry, there are incredible career opportunities in the mobile testing field. For people who are getting ready for mobile testing interview questions when they are applying for a QA job, the following list will help you get in the mood.
As one of the world’s most popular web browsers Safari is a key part of the software stack for millions of Apple users. With its speedy performance intuitive interface, robust security features, and tight integration with Apple’s ecosystem, Safari offers an unmatched browsing experience on Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices.
Therefore it’s no surprise that knowledge of Safari is a common requirement for developers, testers and other tech professionals working in the Apple space. Interviews frequently feature questions that gauge your expertise with this proprietary browser.
To help you put your best foot forward, we’ve compiled the top 25 Safari browser interview questions that assess your technical skills as well as conceptual knowledge. Mastering these questions will prove your credentials and make you stand out from the competition.
Core Functionality
1. What are some key features and capabilities that distinguish Safari from other mainstream browsers like Chrome and Firefox?
Some distinguishing features of Safari include:
- Intelligent Tracking Prevention – limits cross-site tracking by restricting cookies
- Reader mode – strips away clutter for distraction-free reading
- iCloud Tabs – syncs open tabs across devices
- Password monitoring – alerts for compromised saved passwords
- Safari extensions – add functionality, developed based on App Store guidelines
- Tight integration with Apple devices like Handoff, Universal Clipboard
- Powerful Web Inspector tool for web development/debugging
- Fast performance with Nitro JavaScript engine
2. What are some common causes for a website loading correctly in other browsers but not Safari?
Possible causes include:
- Cache or cookies issues – clearing Safari’s cache/cookies may help
- Incompatible extensions interfering with page loading
- JavaScript being disabled in Safari settings
- Use of plugins like Flash that Safari doesn’t support
- Website reliance on newer web technologies not fully supported in Safari
3. How is Safari’s cookie handling different compared to other major browsers?
Unlike Chrome and Firefox, Safari has stricter cookie policies based on Intelligent Tracking Prevention. It blocks third-party cookies by default and restricts first-party cookie lifespan to prevent cross-site tracking.
4. What are some ways to optimize website performance specifically for Safari users?
Optimization best practices for Safari include:
- Minimizing HTTP requests
- Reducing size of resources through minification
- Implementing caching
- Using a content delivery network (CDN)
- Optimizing images – compression, WebP format
- Enabling gzip compression
- Lazy loading of non-critical elements
Debugging and Compatibility
5. You get a report of a JavaScript feature not working properly in Safari but working fine in other browsers. How would you approach debugging this issue?
My debugging approach would be:
- Reproduce the issue in Web Inspector and analyze errors/warnings
- Isolate problematic code using breakpoints and step-through debugging
- Use console statements to log variable values at key points
- Consider polyfills or transpilers like Babel for compatibility
- Check Safari’s bug database for known issues
- Test across browsers to confirm if it’s Safari-specific
6. Can you explain some key HTML, CSS and JavaScript limitations in Safari that web developers should be aware of?
Some key limitations include:
- Limited support for newest HTML5 features like WebRTC, WebGL
- Lacks full support for some CSS properties like position:sticky
- Inconsistent handling of Flexbox layouts
- No native support for some modern ES6 JavaScript features like modules
7. How does Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature impact functionality for analytics, ads and personalization on websites?
It limits third-party cookie usage and cross-site tracking which affects analytics, personalized ad targeting, and content recommendations relying on behavioral data collection. Workarounds include using server-side storage, first-party cookies, and contextual ads instead of behavioral.
8. What strategies can you use to handle cross-browser compatibility issues involving Safari?
Strategies for cross-browser compatibility with Safari include:
- Feature detection using Modernizr
- CSS prefixes like -webkit-
- JavaScript transpiling with Babel
- Polyfills
- Cross-browser testing tools
- Regular testing on latest Safari
- Progressive enhancement
9. What are some key differences in developing for Safari on iOS vs macOS?
Differences include:
- iOS uses WKWebView rendering engine while macOS uses WebKit
- WKWebView has limitations like no local file access
- WebKit supports PWAs, Service Workers more fully
- JavaScript runs faster on WebKit due to JIT compilation
- WebKit has better Grid and Flexbox layout support
Tools and APIs
10. How can the Web Inspector Network tab be used to analyze page resources loaded by Safari?
The Network tab displays resources loaded by a page like scripts, stylesheets, images etc. It provides details like type, size, load time for each item. We can filter, search and analyze network requests to identify bottlenecks.
11. Can you explain how to leverage Safari’s Web Animations API to create complex animations?
The Web Animations API allows creating animations using keyframes and properties like duration, timing, iteration. Keyframes define the animation stages while properties control behavior over time. We can also control animations programmatically for interactivity.
12. What are some limitations of using Service Workers in Safari and how can developers overcome them?
Limitations include lack of persistence, third-party cookie blocking, no push notifications support. Solutions involve ensuring engagement, using first-party storage, native Apple Push Notifications API. Debugging is also challenging.
13. How can the Visual Viewport API be used to improve mobile experience in Safari?
It provides info about visible viewport area to enable dynamic content adjustment based on size, zooming, scrolling. We can leverage properties like width, height and events like resize to create responsive designs.
14. What are the options for implementing web push notifications in Safari given that it doesn’t support the common Web Push API?
Options include:
- Using Apple’s native Push Notification Service (APNs) via app server
- Third-party services like Firebase Cloud Messaging
- Push notification plugins like OneSignal that handle cross-browser compatibility
15. How can you debug memory leaks in Safari using the Web Inspector?
Analyze Memory timeline for steadily increasing graph indicating a leak. Take heap snapshots at intervals to compare memory growth. Inspect objects using the Details pane – identify growing objects allocated from leaked code areas.
Performance and Accessibility
16. How would you conduct a performance audit for a webpage specifically in Safari?
I would utilize the Web Inspector Timelines tab to record and analyze network requests, JavaScript events, layout/rendering, and other activity. The Audits tab also provides page load performance reports with optimization insights.
17. What are some key ways to optimize SVG performance in Safari?
Optimizing SVGs in Safari involves:
- Removing redundant elements
- Analyzing rendering performance
- Measuring network load times
- Simplifying complex objects
- Ensuring proper compression
18. How can you test a web application for accessibility compliance specifically in Safari?
Testing strategies include:
- Inspecting semantics and styles using Web Inspector
- Validating color contrast ratios meet standards
- Testing site navigation using VoiceOver screen reader
- Verifying interactive elements work as expected
- Checking logical ordering of content
19. What are some useful features in Safari’s Web Inspector for analyzing page load performance?
Useful features include:
- Network tab to analyze resource loading times
- Timeline recordings to visualize processes like JavaScript, rendering
- Audits for detailed performance reports
- Memory timeline to identify leaks
Security
20. What are some unique security capabilities offered by Safari that web developers should be aware of?
Unique security features include:
- Intelligent Tracking Prevention
- Sandboxing to contain malicious code
- Real-time phishing and malware detection
- Security vetting for Safari App Extensions
- Password breach monitoring
21. How does Safari handle auto-playing multimedia content on webpages?
Safari restricts auto-playing media with sound to enhance user experience and data usage. This affects sites using audio/video for engagement or ads. Developers must design for user interaction to initiate playback.
Mobile and API Support
22. What are some key differences in features supported by Safari on macOS versus on iOS?
Some key differences:
- macOS has better CSS Grid, Flexbox support
- macOS supports PWAs, Service Workers more fully
- iOS uses WKWebView with security restrictions
- JavaScript runs faster on macOS Safari
- macOS has more robust dev tools
23. What is Safari’s approach to the “SameSite” attribute when handling cookies, and how can developers handle issues that arise?
Safari has a strict interpretation of SameSite that can cause cross-site tracking issues. Workarounds involve server-side solutions, feature detection before setting cookies, and using alternatives like JWT tokens.
24. How can developers implement features unsupported by Safari while providing a smooth user experience?
1 How to test CPU usage on mobile devices?
You can find many tools on Google Play or the App Store that are made to test CPU usage, such as CPU Monitor, CPU Stats, Usemon, CPU-Z, and more. These are an advanced tool that records historical information about processes running on your device.
List out the types of mobile app testing
- Usability Testing
- Compatibility Testing
- Interface Testing
- Services Testing
- Low-level resource Testing
- Performance Testing
- Operational Testing
- Installation Testing
- Security Testing
Understanding Safari Browser Profiles
How to use Web Inspector in Safari browser?
Open the Web Inspector: Go to Develop, click on “Show Web Inspector.” Here are some of the key tools available in the developer mode of Safari browser: The Inspector tool allows developers to examine and modify the Document Object Model (DOM) of a webpage.
How to activate Safari developer mode?
Activating Safari Developer Mode requires a few simple steps: Activate Safari Developer Mode: Open Settings> Advanced in Safari, then tick “Show Develop in Menu bar”. Open the Web Inspector: Go to Develop, click on “Show Web Inspector.” Here are some of the key tools available in the developer mode of Safari browser:
What tools are available in developer mode of Safari browser?
Here are some of the key tools available in the developer mode of Safari browser: The Inspector tool allows developers to examine and modify the Document Object Model (DOM) of a webpage. This helps in understanding the structure of the HTML and CSS, as well as making real-time changes to see their effects.
Should you brush up on coding skills before a technical interview?
Now that you’ve reviewed some commonly asked questions, you can brush up on your responses and ace the interview. After you feel comfortable answering these questions verbally, it’s time to brush up on your coding skills. If you’re lucky, a technical interview awaits right around the corner.
