What is UFT Testing? A Complete Guide (2025)

If you're in QA or a developer who's been looped into test automation, chances are you've heard the term UFT tossed around. Maybe you’ve worked with it back in the day when it was called QTP (QuickTest Professional), or maybe you're hearing it for the first time amidst all the buzz around Selenium and Cypress.

But here’s the thing: UFT (Unified Functional Testing) isn’t some relic of the past. It is a comprehensive automation tool that has stood the test of time and remains one of the premier tools in the enterprise testing space - and for good reason.

In this blog, we will deconstruct what UFT testing is and what features and functionality it comes with, what UFT is still relevant today, and what you need to know before you make UFT a consideration in your next test automation strategy.

So, what is UFT testing?

UFT (Unified Functional Testing), currently branded as UFT One by OpenText (formerly by Micro Focus and HP), is a commercial test automation tool used for functional and regression testing.

UFT enables QA teams to execute automated tests on:

Web based applications
Desktop based applications
Mobile apps
APIs and web services
It is a script and keyword-driven tool that utilizes VBScript as the scripting logic. This means people with limited coding experience can write or maintain basic tests and advanced testers can implement more complex and scalable test suites.

Why UFT Matters (Even in 2025)

In a world full of open-source tools like Selenium, Playwright, and Cypress, you may want to know why anyone would use UFT. Here is why UFT is still a premier solution for enterprise testing:

1. Integrated Testing Tool

UFT allows you to test already tested GUIs, APIs, back-end services, and even databases, all in 1 tool. UFT reduces your need to wrestle with and switch between multiple tools in order to test different layers of your application stack

2.Robust Object Identification

UFT provides great object identification with its Object Repository, for example, you can reliably identify UI elements, even on complex/dynamic front-ends. In fact, many of its new features leverage AI-based object recognition to handle the inevitable UI changes with very little maintenance.

3.Great for Data-Driven Testing

Want to rerun the same test with 50 different input sets? UFT is ideal for this scenario with its Data Table feature, which allows you to parameterize and iterate. with ease.

4. Strong Integration Ecosystem

From Jenkins and Git to ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) tools and even JIRA, UFT plugs into your existing CI/CD pipeline and test management systems.

5. Supports a Wide Range of Technologies

UFT supports:

Web apps (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
Desktop apps (.NET, Java, SAP, Delphi)
Mainframes (via Terminal Emulator)
Mobile testing (with UFT Mobile)
APIs (via built-in API test designer)

So no matter what you're building, chances are UFT can test it.

Features Developers and QA Engineers Love

Let's discuss features. Here is how UFT is actually useful for automation engineers and QA teams:

Script Editor with IntelliSense

UFT has an IDE for VBScript with all the bells and whistles such as breakpoints, watch variables, step-in and -out functionality, and more.

Modular and Reusable Test Design

The action-based frameworks, function libraries, and shared object repositories can all be built so they can be reused as needed across test cases, thereby reducing the time and effort needed to maintain the test cases.

Detailed Reporting

UFT has reporting built in which can provide a detailed log of execution as well as screens of the completed steps and whether they passed or failed, all of which can be shared easily with non-technical stakeholders.

Recording and Playback

Although serious testers do not often go the through the Recording and Playback option, the UFT recording and playback feature would give testers with no experience a good start and also allows for quick POCs.

But it’s not all sunshine…

Because it is a tool, UFT does have some flaws:

Cost

UFT is not free. Depending upon the licensing model, costs can be high and could make it less appealing for startups or small QA teams with lack of funding.

Windows-Only

UFT can run on Windows OS only. If you work in a Linux or Mac development environment, it would be a factor.

Heavy Setup for Custom Frameworks

Setting up a keyword driven or hybrid within UFT requires planning and setup, which may not suit small or rapidly moving teams.

Maintenance Overhead for Dynamic UIs

While UFT has made progress here, dynamic web applications that have rapidly changing DOM structures can still lead to issues with object identification.

When Should You Use UFT?

You may consider using UFT if you:

Are working in an enterprise level environment that has legacy apps, or, a substantial technology stack.
Need end-to-end testing, from API to UI and everything in the middle.
Already using Micro Focus/OpenText tools like ALM or LoadRunner.
Want a low-code interface, but can script as needed.

Do not use UFT if you:

Are building a lightweight web app and want to use modern open-source tools.
Need to run tests across multiple platforms (Linux, macOS).
Best Practices for teams using UFT

Pro Tips for Teams Using UFT

Be strategic about Function Libraries: turn reusable logic into shared library functions to minimize duplication.
Be modular: divide tests into callable and reusable actions to improve maintainability.
Parameterize sooner than later: to not hard code values, use data tables or externalized Excel files.
Use version control: store code and repositories in Git or ALM to keep track of any changes.
Combine UFT with manual testing: UFT can display excellently when working alongside manual test cases in ALM; preliminary views indicate a hybrid approach to quality assurance.

Final Thoughts

While UFT may not be the most "detailed" tool in the automation landscape today, it is the steady workhorse that is reliable, hard-working, and delivers, almost every time, like a dependable colleague who shows up competent and ready to work. For enterprises with complex architectures and testing requirements, it is still one of the most reliable, mature, scalable solutions available.

Whether you are just browsing automation tools or are heavily invested in enterprise QA, make sure UFT makes it to your short list.

UFT Testing: A Timeless Ally for Modern QA Teams