Most web designers know the importance and benefits of responsive design. If you have chosen to turn your online project into a responsive one, it will be necessary to carry out tests on the screens of the different devices (desktop, laptops, tablets, smartphones) during the development process. These responsive tests must be performed, at the latest, during the final phase of implementation, in order to extensively determine errors and inconsistencies that may arise in the future. Here are 8 web design tools to check if your website is responsive..
All the tools that we present below run in the browser and can be used for free without registration . Seven of the eight exposed applications are very easy to use web apps . You just need to enter the URL of the responsive website you want to check and the tool takes care of everything else. These web applications simulate the representation of a web page on one or more screens and allow you to navigate through it as if you were doing it from the browser. Thus, these web design tools not only allow the display of the home page, but also facilitate navigation in different resolutions.
If you use Firefox as a web browser, it is quite easy to check if your website is responsive. In the navigation menu, click on the option ? Web Developer? and then in? Adaptive Design View? or use the keyboard combination [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [M]. The web page will be displayed on a black background and at the top left you can choose the preset screen size of the responsive test. You can also change the resolution by enlarging or reducing the corner frame with your mouse..
This web application tests the responsive design of a web using a wide range of standard resolutions represented by the icons at the bottom of the browser's address bar. Options include desktop screens, tablets, smartphones, and televisions. Screenfly also lets you check individual resolutions, making it a particularly versatile application.
This tool works in a similar way to Screenfly. responsivepx allows you to expand the width and height of the virtual screen to a maximum of 3,000 pixels..
Another very flexible application to perform a responsive test is Screencheck. It was programmed by the software developers at cybercrab.com and can be used directly from their website.
On the main page of the Google test tool, the web is displayed in three different sizes (desktop, for tablets and smartphones). Google Resizer also supports other resolutions in landscape (480? 1600 pixels) and portrait (360? 1024 pixels) mode. Compared to other applications, the range of screen sizes for a comprehensive responsive test is very narrow.
In Demonstrating Responsive Design, the user only has three screen sizes available (the smartphone and tablet version also includes its horizontal display). However, this tool makes it easy to quickly and clearly switch between the different formats.
Responsinator simulates the rendering of the web on a total of six different mobile devices, each with portrait and landscape orientation. This responsive test includes different versions of iPhone, Android and iPad.
Am I Responsive? Web application offers the simulation on four Apple devices: desktop (Resolution: 1600 x 992 pixels), laptop (1280 x 802 pixels), tablet (768 x 1024 pixels) and mobile (320 x 480 pixels). One of the advantages of this test is that the sizes can be compared directly.
If you are implementing responsive design on your website and you want to check if you are doing it correctly, you have at your disposal numerous web design tools with which you can comfortably perform different tests from your browser. However, it is not always advisable to fully trust these types of applications . The best responsive test is to test your website personally on as many devices as possible, because in the end, the instruments mentioned above are only simulators.
The main reason is that some of the elements of a responsive website cannot be verified through an online simulation. In addition, these types of applications are more of a web design tool than an instrument to measure the usability of the web, a fundamental aspect in the development of any responsive web project. A responsive test should also evaluate the impact of factors such as the power of the equipment, different web browsers or the operation of a touch screen on the user experience . In addition, the representation of a responsive web page can be affected by browser elements such as the scroll bar, something that is not present on mobile devices.
However, the use of these web applications is certainly an important part of a global test. Tools that are easy to implement and speed up the testing process are helpful for web designers.