Compatibility testing is a type of software testing that verifies whether the software application can function correctly and effectively across different hardware, operating systems, web browsers, and other software environments. The purpose of compatibility testing is to ensure that the software works as intended on different platforms, devices, and configurations and provides a consistent user experience across all supported environments.

Compatibility testing involves testing the software application on different combinations of hardware and software configurations, such as different operating systems, web browsers, mobile devices, screen resolutions, and more. The testing team creates a test matrix, which contains a list of all the supported hardware and software configurations, and executes the test cases on each combination of the matrix.

Compatibility testing is essential because users access the software application from different environments, devices, and configurations, and they expect the software to work seamlessly on their preferred platform or device. Compatibility issues can lead to user dissatisfaction, lost revenue, and damage to the organization’s reputation.

To ensure successful compatibility testing, software testers should consider the differences in hardware and software configurations, identify the most commonly used platforms and devices, and execute the test cases across those platforms and devices. The use of automation tools can also help streamline the testing process and reduce the time and effort required for compatibility testing.