Selenium is a great, free, web automation tool. Sure, it has a few drawbacks with reporting and maintenance, but overall, it’s a decent option for a tech-heavy automation team. Where it really struggles though, is testing non-web technologies such as SAP, Oracle, and Citrix.
In essence, Selenium is a tool for testing browser-based applications. Selenium is not aimed at those who need to test Windows-based applications, API’s and most other non-browser-based applications.
Because of this, you need an enterprise-grade test tool that works with Selenium.
Fortunately, there’s a ready-made solution. Micro Focus UFT will test most applications on most operating systems.
UFT integrates seamlessly with Selenium.
UFT is the functional testing tool that all other tools are measured against. UFT Developer even accelerates your Selenium scripting process.
Enterprise Solutions Are More Than Just Websites
There is more to enterprise IT systems than just front-end websites.
Businesses use myriad, interconnected systems. It’s all well and good testing the website functionality, but websites don’t operate in isolation. They plug into all manner of other applications. For true end-to-end web testing, you need to hit the supporting middleware and backend systems.
Plus, there are often internal systems that might not connect to your website, but that play a crucial role in day-to-day operations. Whether it’s ERP solutions like SAP and Oracle, CRM solutions such as Salesforce, or workspace software e.g. Citrix.
Unfortunately, Selenium is purely a browser-based solution. If you want to test your enterprise application, you need a tool with more comprehensive support.
The Experts Agree – Selenium Isn’t Enough
Calleo has conducted a series of interviews with leading software test managers. Throughout these, a common trend emerged – Automation experts are happy to use open-source tools wherever possible until they hit a roadblock.
There’s a general understanding that as good as Selenium is, it has limitations when confronted with non-web technologies. To test their full-stack, businesses can’t rely on Selenium alone, they need an additional test tool.
2 Challenges of Selecting a New Test Tool
Of course, there are numerous test tools on the market, with various price points and functionality. Automation experts must choose the right one, this challenge is twofold:
- Budgetary Challenge: Finding a complementary test tool that doesn’t break the bank. They’re not used to paying license fees for automation tools, so any solution has to minimize the financial impact.
- Compatibility Challenge: Find a test tool that fully integrates with, and supports, their existing Selenium scripts and frameworks.
UFT Is The Perfect Addition to Selenium
You’ve probably heard of Micro Focus UFT One, although maybe in one of its previous guises. It is a well-established, battle-hardened enterprise automation tool. If you don’t know the history, UFT was created when Micro Focus merged WinRunner, QTP Service Test and LeanFT into the same tool.
You might not have heard of UFT Developer.
When it comes to Selenium automation, UFT Developer is the perfect partner. In fact, Micro Focus are gold level Selenium partners.
Selenium Users: Test Your Enterprise Solutions Easily, With UFT
To recap, Selenium is good for web testing, but it can’t test your enterprise solutions. If you need to test your main applications, your best option is UFT.
UFT is powerful, flexible, and more affordable than you think. It’s the gold standard for enterprise test automation, with greater application support than any other tool. It also works seamlessly with Selenium:
- UFT can run Selenium scripts
- UFT enhances and accelerates the Selenium scripting process
- UFT supports more applications and technologies than any other tool, including SAP, Oracle etc
- UFT is cost-effective with flexible licensing options
You can learn more about UFT Developer by visiting the CalleoUFT Developer product page.
