UFTOne

1) Introduction

UFT One (Unified Functional Testing) is a leading automation testing tool developed by Micro Focus, designed to support functional and regression testing for web, mobile, and API applications. Formerly known as QTP (Quick Test Professional), UFT One has evolved significantly, providing a comprehensive solution for teams looking to automate their testing processes and improve the quality of their applications.

UFT One integrates seamlessly into the software development lifecycle, allowing organizations to create automated tests that validate application functionality, performance, and usability. It supports a wide range of technologies and platforms, making it versatile enough for various testing needs. UFT One is particularly valued in environments where continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices are employed, enabling teams to ensure high quality and reliability in their software products.

As applications become increasingly complex and the demand for rapid delivery grows, the importance of effective test automation cannot be overstated. UFT One addresses this need by providing robust capabilities for automating web testing, thereby helping teams reduce manual testing efforts, speed up release cycles, and enhance overall product quality.

2) Features

UFT One is packed with features that cater to a wide range of testing scenarios, enhancing its functionality and usability:

• Cross-Browser Testing: UFT One supports testing across multiple browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari, ensuring that applications function correctly on various platforms.
• Support for Web, Mobile, and API Testing: UFT One allows users to automate tests for web applications, mobile applications, and APIs, providing a unified approach to functional testing across different environments.
• Visual Object Identification: The tool employs advanced visual recognition technology, which allows it to identify UI elements based on their appearance rather than just their properties. This feature enhances reliability, especially in dynamic web applications where element properties may change.
• Keyword and Scripted Testing: UFT One supports both keyword-driven and scripted testing approaches. Users can create tests using keywords for non-technical users or leverage VBScript for more complex scenarios, providing flexibility based on team skill levels.
• Integrated Test Management: UFT One integrates with Micro Focus ALM/Quality Center and other test management tools, enabling teams to manage test cases, execute tests, and track defects in a single environment.
• Data-Driven Testing: Users can create data-driven tests by associating external data sources (such as Excel files, databases, and CSV files) with their test scripts. This capability allows for the execution of the same test with multiple sets of input data, enhancing test coverage.
• API Testing Capabilities: UFT One includes features for testing REST and SOAP APIs, allowing teams to validate backend services and ensure they function as expected under various conditions.
• Extensive Reporting and Analytics: The tool provides detailed reports and dashboards that offer insights into test execution results, trends, and coverage, enabling teams to make data-driven decisions about their testing efforts.
• Integrations with CI/CD Tools: UFT One integrates with popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Bamboo, and Micro Focus’s own CI tools, facilitating the automation of testing within continuous integration pipelines.
• Support for Virtualization and Cloud Testing: UFT One allows for testing in virtualized environments and cloud setups, providing flexibility in how tests are executed and ensuring compatibility across various infrastructure setups.

3) Pros

UFT One offers numerous advantages that contribute to its reputation as a leading testing automation tool:

• Comprehensive Functionality: UFT One’s ability to automate testing across web, mobile, and API environments provides teams with a single tool to address multiple testing needs, simplifying the automation landscape.
• Ease of Use: The user-friendly interface, combined with the keyword-driven testing approach, makes UFT One accessible to testers with varying levels of technical expertise. This helps bridge the gap between technical and non-technical team members.
• Visual Testing Capabilities: The tool’s advanced visual object identification capabilities increase the reliability of tests, particularly for dynamic applications where traditional property-based identification may fail.
• Strong Reporting Features: UFT One’s reporting capabilities provide clear insights into test results, helping teams identify issues quickly and facilitating better communication among stakeholders.
• Robust Integrations: UFT One’s ability to integrate with various test management and CI/CD tools enhances collaboration and streamlines the testing process, allowing teams to implement automated testing effectively.
• Ongoing Support and Updates: Being backed by Micro Focus, UFT One receives regular updates and support, ensuring that it stays relevant in an ever-evolving technology landscape.

4) Cons

Despite its strengths, UFT One does have some limitations that potential users should consider:

• Cost: UFT One can be expensive, especially for small to mid-sized organizations. Licensing fees may be a barrier for teams with limited budgets, particularly when compared to other open-source or lower-cost alternatives.
• Learning Curve for Advanced Features: While the basic functionalities are user-friendly, mastering the more advanced features, such as API testing and complex VBScript scripting, can be challenging and may require additional training.
• Resource Intensive: UFT One may consume significant system resources during test execution, which could impact the performance of the machine on which it runs, especially when executing large test suites.
• Dependency on Windows: UFT One is primarily designed for Windows environments, limiting its usability for teams operating in Linux or other non-Windows environments.
• Limited Community Support: Compared to some open-source alternatives, UFT One has a smaller community, which may result in less available peer support and fewer resources for troubleshooting.

5) Usage with One Example and Sample Code and Links

UFT One is widely used in various scenarios to automate testing for web applications. Below is an example of how UFT One can be utilized in a typical website testing automation workflow.

Usage Example:

Consider an e-commerce company that wants to automate the testing of its checkout process to ensure that users can complete purchases without issues. The testing team decides to use UFT One to create automated tests for this process.

1. Setting Up the Test Environment:
   • The testing team installs UFT One on a Windows machine and configures it to support the required browsers (e.g., Chrome and Firefox).
2. Recording the Test:
   • The team uses UFT One’s recording feature to capture the steps involved in the checkout process. They start recording, navigate to the website, select products, add them to the cart, and complete the checkout process.
3. Enhancing the Test Script:
   • After recording, the team reviews the generated script and enhances it by adding verification steps to confirm that the correct products are in the cart and that the correct total price is displayed.
   • They also add error handling to manage potential issues during test execution.
4. Data-Driven Testing:
   • To ensure comprehensive coverage, the team sets up data-driven testing by linking the test script to an Excel file containing different product combinations and quantities.
   • This allows the same test script to be executed with multiple data sets, validating the checkout process under various scenarios.
5. Executing the Test:
   • Once the test script is complete, the team executes it in UFT One. The tool simulates user interactions and logs the results.
6. Analyzing Results:
   • After the test execution, UFT One generates a detailed report showing the pass/fail status of each step, along with any errors encountered during the process.
   • The team reviews the report to identify any issues that need addressing before the next release.

Sample Code for UFT One Script:

Here’s a simplified example of a UFT One script that automates the checkout process on an e-commerce website:

' Start of UFT One test script for checkout process

' Define variables
Dim productName, quantity, totalPrice

' Step 1: Navigate to e-commerce site
SystemUtil.Run "chrome.exe", "https://www.example-ecommerce.com"
Wait(5) ' Wait for 5 seconds

' Step 2: Search for a product
Browser("title:=Example E-commerce").Page("title:=Example E-commerce").WebEdit("name:=search").Set "Smartphone"
Browser("title:=Example E-commerce").Page("title:=Example E-commerce").WebButton("name:=submit").Click
Wait(5)

' Step 3: Select the first product
Browser("title:=Example E-commerce").Page("title:=Product List").WebElement("xpath:=//div[contains(@class,'product-item')][1]").Click
Wait(3)

' Step 4: Add to cart
Browser("title:=Product Details").Page("title:=Product Details").WebButton("name:=add-to-cart").Click
Wait(2)

' Step 5: Navigate to cart
Browser("title:=Example E-commerce").Page("title:=Cart").WebButton("name:=checkout").Click
Wait(5)

' Step 6: Validate the total price
totalPrice = Browser("title:=Checkout").Page("title:=Checkout").WebElement("class:=total-price").GetROProperty("innerText")
If totalPrice = "$599.99" Then
    Reporter.ReportEvent micPass, "Total Price Validation", "Total price is correct: " & totalPrice
Else
    Reporter.ReportEvent micFail, "Total Price Validation", "Expected price: $599.99, Actual price: " & totalPrice
End If

' End of UFT One test script

Links:
To learn more about UFT One, access resources, or sign up for a trial, visit the official website:
https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/products/uft-one/overview

6) Pricing

UFT One offers various licensing

options to cater to different organizational needs. As of 2024, the following pricing structure is typically available:

• Perpetual License: This option allows organizations to purchase a license for UFT One outright, providing long-term access to the software. Pricing varies based on the number of users and the specific features included.
• Subscription License: UFT One can also be licensed on a subscription basis, typically offered on an annual contract. This option may include maintenance and support services as part of the subscription.
• Enterprise Licensing: For larger organizations with extensive testing needs, Micro Focus offers enterprise licensing agreements that provide scalability, additional features, and dedicated support. Pricing for enterprise licenses is typically customized based on the organization’s requirements.
• Trial Version: Micro Focus offers a limited trial version of UFT One, allowing organizations to explore its features before committing to a purchase.

For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, organizations should contact Micro Focus directly or visit their pricing page:
https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/products/uft-one/pricing

7) Recommended For?

UFT One is recommended for a variety of users and organizations, including:

• Large Enterprises: Organizations with complex applications and extensive testing needs will benefit from UFT One’s comprehensive functionality and support for multiple platforms.
• Quality Assurance Teams: QA teams looking for a reliable automation solution for functional and regression testing will find UFT One’s features and reporting capabilities particularly valuable.
• Development Teams in CI/CD Environments: Teams employing CI/CD practices will appreciate UFT One’s integration capabilities, allowing for seamless automation of testing within the development pipeline.
• Teams with Diverse Testing Needs: UFT One’s ability to automate testing across web, mobile, and API environments makes it suitable for organizations with varied testing requirements.
• Organizations Prioritizing User Experience: Companies that prioritize delivering a seamless user experience can leverage UFT One’s capabilities to ensure applications function correctly across different browsers and devices.

In conclusion, UFT One is a powerful and versatile testing automation tool that helps organizations enhance the quality and reliability of their web applications. Its comprehensive feature set, user-friendly interface, and robust integrations make it a valuable asset for teams looking to improve their testing processes and deliver high-quality software products.