Mozilla is embarking on the ambitious target to re-architect Firefox using a native Android front-end user interface. This evolved product will deliver improvements to start-up time, memory usage, user interface responsiveness and battery usage.
In a short period of time, Mozilla has made progress and have experimental builds already; but the mobile development team really needs more bugs filed so testing Nightlies in the meantime is ever more crucial to the product's development. Nightly builds are generally used by developers and contributes who build and test Firefox to verify and test bugs. Nightly users should expect exciting changes with every update, as well as instability, possible regressions, and many bugs. Nightly users now can already feel the drastic differences from XUL-based Firefox, and identifying more bugs is crucial to continue improving the product.
Get involved!
We urge all Mozillians to download a Nightly build to help file bugs and provide feedback.
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Need a supported Android phone? Tell us here. We may not be able to give a device to everyone, but will keep your name on file for when devices are available.
Download the latest Nightly .apk file from the Birch tree. Users will need to allow the installation of non-Market applications (depending on device: Preferences > Applications). Devices will also need around ~13MB of application space, check if your device is supported here. You should only need to download from the Birch tree once, updates will show in your Android notification status automatically.
Find Bugs
Try to use the Nightly build as your default browser as much as you can. Help us test these features and make sure they work properly and well. If not, file a bug!
File Bugs
Go to Bugzilla and include the device name/Firefox version/OS version, steps to reproduce, and the expected and actual outcomes (Bugzilla 101 video). It would also be helpful if you could attach a screenshot of your issue (take screenshots without rooting your phone or enabling x11). Also see known issues for reference, but please do file the bug anyway if you are not sure.
Visit and join our Browser Technologies team on QMO
What Mobile QA Does
Testing Strategy
The Mobile QA team focuses on testing current and upcoming releases of Firefox on Android. Some of our responsibilities include qualifying builds prior to a milestone release. Some of the responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Verifying bugs
Running basic functional tests and smoke tests - manually (in the interim)
Running website and device compatibility checks
Running specialized focused areas of testing, such as:
Project to run unit tests via a test-harness addon and disperse via crowdsourcing techniques
In addition to qualifying builds prior to a release, we perform ongoing tasks on the development and pre-release branches to ensure no major problems get uplifted as we merge changes to the next branch in our rapid release schedule. For example, on a daily basis we:
Confirm new unconfirmed bugs
Verify bugs on development branches like Aurora and Beta
Engage community and new volunteers in helping improve Firefox for Android through test day events
Perform exploratory testing of new features while on the Nightly and Aurora branches
Our integrated test case management system that let's one run a suite of related manual basic functionality and smoke test tests against Firefox on Android
DeviceAnywhere provides a service for testing and monitoring the functionality, usability, performance and availability of mobile apps and websites. Through use of the their test centre, they provide instant online access to in-network mobile devices for manual testing of ones mobile application or website on a variety of devices and networks.
