{"id":3491,"date":"2015-07-30T10:21:12","date_gmt":"2015-07-30T08:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usersnap.com\/?p=3491"},"modified":"2025-10-14T17:06:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T15:06:07","slug":"microsoft-edge-review-for-developers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usersnap.com\/blog\/microsoft-edge-review-for-developers\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Microsoft\u2019s new browser still has some rough edges. A first review on Edge for developers."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a review on Microsoft’s new browser Edge and what every developer should know about developing with Microsoft Edge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft officially released Windows 10 today making a huge step forward. With its all new browser, called Edge, Microsoft is trying to catch up with Chrome and Firefox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve downloaded Windows 10 and took a look on how Microsoft Edge may influence the daily work of developers. Here\u2019s our first impression of Edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Edge: A major step forward?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft claimed to have re-built its internet browser from scratch. With its piles of legacy code, the Internet Explorer has somehow become the unbeloved browser in today’s world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, building websites or web apps always included to find workarounds for various Internet Explorer flaws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, Microsoft noticed that problem and built Edge. They claim that Edge is super fast and that it supports more web standards than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, let\u2019s see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first impression matters.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The browser feels light and fast. At least way lighter than Internet Explorer felt the last time we gave it a try. (I don\u2019t want to bash IE here, since Microsoft had undertaken quite a few good efforts with IE 11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edge really feels like a \u201cnew\u201d browser. It doesn\u2019t feel like an update of Internet Explorer. It feels like a new browser. And that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though, I have to say that the Desktop icon \u201cE\u201d still reminds me on its predecessor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait, it\u2019s not all new & shiny?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As said, Edge feels like a new browser. From a user experience. If you take a deeper look inside the engine, it isn\u2019t all that new actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edge uses a forked version of Internet Explorer\u2019s rendering engine \u201cTrident\u201d. Basically, Microsoft took the basic technology of IE and make sure that Edge meets current web standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing with Edge Developer Tools?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, you might ask and wonder if it\u2019s possible to go back developing with Edge and turn your back to Chrome<\/a> and Firefox<\/a>. Here\u2019s what Edge has to offer for developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DOM Explorer tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The DOM Explorer tool basically shows you the structure of a certain webpage. It allows developers to edit HTML and CSS on a page.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The so-called DOM Explorer tool allows you to do the same things as you would do with the Chrome or Firefox Dev Tools\u2019 element picker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Console Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Similar to the console in Firefox or Chrome, the Console tool of Edge allows you to interact with the Javascript parts on a particular website. It also serves as central place for error messages and status codes.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The console of Edge feels quite tidy in comparison to Firefox\u2019 and Chrome\u2019s console. The interface is completely uncluttered and easy to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Network Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The network tool gives you some great details of network requests involved in the loading of a webpage. Again, it offers similar features as the network tool inside Chrome.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Emulation Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might be wondering how your website performs and renders on different devices or screen sizes. The emulation tool is great for testing your (responsive) web design<\/a> and how it is displayed on your latest mobile phone. You get even further options such as de-\/activating GPS (which isn\u2019t available with the Google developer tools for example).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Compared to Chrome\u2019s mobile emulation<\/a> this is still only a beginning. Chrome\u2019s mobile emulation allows to throttle network speed to simulate different mobile network connections and it also has a handy device picker which automatically resizes the viewport to the according size. Microsoft\u2019s approach is a bit more spartanic when it comes to mobile emulation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Speed comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last but not least: Speed. If the mentioned developer tools sound quite interesting to you, you might wonder how Edge competes in terms of speed. I guess you all reminder those jokes on the slowness of the IE, right? \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n

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The good news is: Microsoft Edge\u2019s can definitely compete with Chrome and Firefox in terms of speed and loading times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When opening computerworld.com on various browsers (\u201cStandard\u201d Laptop running Windows 10), we experienced the following rendering results<\/p>\n\n\n\n