What is UFT?

Unified Functional Testing (UFT) developed by Micro Focus, is a popular automation testing tool. It evolved from QuickTest Professional (QTP) which Mercury Interactive initially released in the late 1990s.

Over time, QTP was enhanced to support more advanced features leading to the launch of UFT in 2012. The evolution brought improvements in testing capabilities, including better integration, broader technology support, and improved automation.

What is UFT?

UFT (Unified Functional Testing) is an automated software testing tool designed to test various applications and environments, including web, desktop, mobile, and API applications. It automates repetitive testing tasks and improves software testing efficiency and effectiveness.

Example of Using UFT

Imagine that you are testing an online shopping website. Here, UFT can simulate actions, like adding items to the cart, checking out, and verifying payment information.

It then compares the actual behavior with the expected behavior to identify any discrepancies. This can allow us to automate the testing process by saving time and effort in manual testing.

Importance of UFT

UFT provides numerous benefits that make testing more efficient, scalable, and user-friendly.

Here are some key reasons why it is important:

• Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks by saving time & resources.
• Scalability: Can handle large test suites and scale up testing efforts for extensive applications.
• Increased Test Coverage: Supports data-driven testing to cover more scenarios.
• Faster Regression Testing: Speeds up testing in agile environments by running tests after every code change.
• Reusability: Test scripts can be reused across different projects or applications.
• User-Friendly Interface: Provides an easy-to-use interface that simplifies the test creation process, even for non-technical users.

Key Features of UFT Test Automation

Below are some key features of UFT:

How UFT Works

UFT works in the following ways:

• Recording: UFT records user actions on the application (clicks, keystrokes, etc.) to generate test scripts.
• Object Repository: This store objects and their properties that UFT uses to identify and interact with application elements.
• Test Execution: UFT runs the test scripts by interacting with the application by simulating user actions and verifying expected results.
• Result Reporting: After executing the test, UFT generates a detailed report highlighting the test results, errors, and logs.
• Data-Driven Testing: UFT can execute tests with different input data sets to verify different scenarios.
• Integration with ALM: UFT integrates with Micro Focus ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) to manage test cases, defects, and reporting.

Common Use Cases for UFT

Below are some of the common use cases of UFT:

• Functional Testing: Verifying the functionality of applications, ensuring they perform as expected.
• Regression Testing: Re-running tests to ensure new code changes do not break existing functionality.
• API Testing: Automating the testing of web services and APIs for functionality, performanc, and reliability.
• Performance Testing: Simulating heavy traffic to ensure applications handle load efficiently.
• Cross-Browser Testing: Verifying that applications work consistently across different browsers and devices.
• Smoke Testing: Quickly verify that an application’s most crucial features are working before more detailed testing.

UFT vs Selenium

UFT (Unified Functional Testing) and Selenium are popular test automation tools, each with unique features. Below is a comparison to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Why Should You Choose Selenium?

Selenium is a popular choice for automated testing due to its versatility, cost-effectiveness, and wide community support.

Here is why it stands out:

• Open Source and Free: Selenium is free to use, making it ideal for organizations looking to avoid licensing costs.
• Cross Browser Support: It supports testing on various browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, ensuring wide compatibility.
• Flexibility: Selenium allows scripting in several programming languages, such as Java, Python, C#, etc., giving developers flexibility.
• Wide Community Support: With a large active community, Selenium offers extensive resources, including documentation, forum,s and plugins, simplifying troubleshooting.
• Integration with Other Tools: It integrates seamlessly with various testing and CI/CD tools, enhancing its capability in modern DevOps pipelines.

Test on Real Devices with BrowserStack Automate

BrowserStack Automate allows you to perform automated testing on real devices by ensuring accurate results and eliminating the limitations of emulators or simulators.

Here is why you should use it:

• Real Device Testing: Test your web and mobile applications on real devices, providing a more reliable representation of how your app will perform in the hands of actual users.
• Cross-Browser and Cross-Device Testing: BrowserStack supports a wide variety of browsers & devices, so you can ensure your application works consistently across all platforms.
• Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with your existing test automation framework, such as Selenium, Appium, and others, for a smooth testing process.
• Instant Access to Devices: No need to maintain your device lab. BrowserStack provides instant access to various devices and browsers, speeding up your testing cycles.
• Cloud-Based: BrowserStack Automate is cloud-based, so it allows you to run tests at scale from anywhere without worrying about hardware or infrastructure.

Advantages of UFT

Here are the key benefits of Unified Functional Testing (UFT):

• Automation: UFT automates testing, saving time & reducing the potential for human error compared to manual testing.
• Wide Technology Support: UFT supports various platforms and technologies such as Java, .NET, SAP, Oracle, web, desktop & mobile applications.
• Keyword-Driven Framework: UFT allows testers to create automated tests without needing programming knowledge by using a keyword driven approach.
• Integration with Other Tools: UFT can be integrated with other tools like defect tracking & test management systems by improving the efficiency of the testing process.
• Test Execution Collaboration: UFT supports collaboration among testers to execute test cases & document issues or defects.
• Reusability: UFT allows for reusing components and scripts, reducing testing time and expanding test coverage.
• Data Driven Testing: UFT enables testing with different data sets by ensuring the application is tested across multiple scenarios.
• Flexibility: UFT supports testing across multiple browsers, operating systems & devices, offering flexibility in test execution.

Limitations of UFT

While UFT offers numerous benefits, it also has certain limitations that may affect its suitability for specific testing needs:

• Cost: UFT is a licensed tool making it relatively expensive compared to open source alternatives like Selenium.
• Limited Cross Platform Support: UFT is primarily designed for Windows environments by limiting its support for other operating systems like Linux & macOS.
• Learning Curve: While it offers a keyword-driven framework, the tool still requires a certain level of technical expertise to fully leverage its capabilities, especially when scripting is involved.
• Complexity with Large Projects: For larger, more complex projects, UFT may require more resources, both in terms of hardware and test management, potentially leading to slower performance.
• Limited Open-Source Integration: While UFT can integrate with several tools, it has limited integration options with open-source tools compared to other automation frameworks like Selenium.

Verdict

UFT is excellent for enterprises that need robust, comprehensive test automation and are willing to invest in its licensing costs. However, it may not be the best choice for smaller teams or projects looking for cost-effective, flexible, and open-source alternatives.

Conclusion

Unified Functional Testing (UFT) is a strong tool for automating tests across different applications. It is great for large teams working on complex projects, offering features like test automation, reusability and easy integration with other tools.

However, its cost and limited cross-platform support might make it less ideal for smaller projects. UFT works best in bigger environments where comprehensive testing is needed, but it’s important to weigh your project’s size and budget before choosing it. In the end, UFT is like a powerful engine – the right tool for the job when speed, precision, and scalability are essential!

FAQs

Which is better, UFT or Selenium?

It depends on your needs. UFT is best for larger projects that require a complete, easy-to-use solution with support for various technologies. On the other hand, Selenium is perfect for those looking for a free, open-source tool, especially for web testing across multiple browsers. Your choice will depend on your project size, budget, and customization needs.