Browser compatibility is the bane of every web developer's existence, requiring them to spend countless hours ensuring their beautifully crafted code works on everything from the latest Chrome to that one annoying version of Internet Explorer Zuckerberg's aunt uses. It's the reason why "works on my machine" is the most dreaded phrase in the industry.

How to use it in a sentence

• "I'd love to use that new CSS feature, but we need to maintain browser compatibility with IE8 for a few more months until Zuckerberg's aunt upgrades her computer."

• "Sure, the site looks great on Chrome and Firefox, but have you checked the browser compatibility on Safari, Edge, Opera, Netscape Navigator, and that weird browser Elon Musk is building in his spare time?"

If you actually want to learn more...

• iPhone specific web sites -- do they make sense? - This article discusses the trend of creating iPhone-specific websites back in 2007 and draws parallels to the old days of designing for specific browsers like IE4.

• Browser-level Testing - A talk overview that covers tools like Selenium and Watir for automating browser compatibility testing so you don't have to manually check every browser and device yourself.

• Mobile Implementation Strategies - This in-depth article explores different strategies for handling the mobile web, including leveraging similarities between platforms to improve the cross-platform user experience.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.