Bugs are defects and errors in computer programs. They reduce the functionality of software, frustrate software users, stress developers, and damage the reputation of a project. These bugs are inevitable, but they can be reduced and corrected when noticed. One factor that facilitates successful debugging is a Good Bug Report. In this article, I will be showing you how to write a Good Bug Report (A Complete Guide). You can read What is Software Testing? and What is a User Stories and Why do you need it? You can read this if you want to know about Best Practices for Application Deployment
What is a Good Bug Report?
A bug report is a document that lists and describes the errors in software. It contains information about the problem, steps to reproduce it, and other important or needed details about the bug.
A good bug report is a comprehensive and clear document that efficiently communicates information concerning a bug to the development team. It provides all the necessary details down to the smallest detail.
A good bug report should answer these four (4) important questions:
- What is the error in this software?
- Where is the error located?
- In which Environment has the Error occurred?
- How can a developer reproduce and identify this bug?
How to Write a Good Bug Report (A Complete Guide)
A good Bug Report should have the following features:
-
Clear and concise
A good bug report should be written in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. It should not contain ambiguous language. Instead, it should focus on describing the essential details precisely. A good bug report does not contain unnecessary information.
2. Reproductive steps
A bug report should include a step-by-step guide on how to recreate that bug. This helps developers to reproduce the issue in their development issue. This aids in easy diagnosing and debugging.
3. Expected and Actual Behavior
A good bug report should indicate what output or behavior is expected from a program and what behavior occurred. This helps the developers to understand the mistake, its cause, and how to handle it.
4. Environmental Details
This involves information about the operating system, software version, hardware, and any relevant information about the environment that causes the bug. With this, a developer can determine whether a bug is specific to a particular environment or condition.
5. Single Issue per report
To avoid confusion, it is best for each bug report to address a single Issue. If multiple issues are addressed, it may report in confusion. Therefore, to maintain clarity, separate bug reports should be created for each issue.
6. Visual Proofs
A good bug report should contain screenshots, screen records, and other visual aids to fully show and depict the bug.
Steps in Writing a Good Bug Report
1. Error Title: Provide a simple, clear, and concise title to identify each bug in your report.
example:
“Sign Up” – “A new user cannot be created.”
2. Summary: Write a summary to give more details about the bug. This should include when and how the error occurred.
example:
During testing on {Friday, June 13 2010}, I tried to sign in a new user, “After filling out the form and clicking the Create Account button, the page reloaded without signing up the new user (This happened repeatedly)”
3. Reproduce the Steps: Provide the same steps needed to reproduce this bug. This includes button clicks, actions taken, inputs, and any specific conditions required to encounter this error.
example:
“Input Email, Username, and password.”
“Click on the “Email me details button”
“Click on Create Account button”
4. Show Visual Proofs: Add screenshots/screen records of the affected area or section of the software affected. This helps a developer identify the bug faster.
5. Expected Behavior: Clearly state what you expected to happen when you performed the steps mentioned or shown above. This helps the developer to understand the supposed functionality and compare it to the actual output.
example:
“Click the Create Account button, a new user will be created and signed into the App.”
6. Actual Behavior: At this stage, clearly give details of the behavior the software exhibits.
example:
After clicking the create account button, it loads for 30 seconds and returns the same page.
7. Severity Level: Assess and assign a level of severity to the bug. Use comparisons like low, medium, high, and critical to quantify the impact of the bug.
8. Environment: Indicate the testing environment under which the bug was noticed, including details about software & hardware versions, network settings, operating system, and any relevant information.
9. Date and Time: Note the date and time when the bug was discovered. This helps in tracking the timeline of the bug and any potential correlations with system changes or updates.
How to Write a Good Bug Report (A Complete Guide)
Benefits of a Good Bug Report
- A good bug report helps to improve the stability and reliability of software.
- A good bug report contributes to user satisfaction by ensuring that the reported issues are addressed effectively and promptly.
- Well-prepared reports contribute to the overall quality and improvement of the software.
- A good bug provides the needed information for developers to understand, reproduce, and fix a bug.
- Clear and concise bug reports facilitate effective communication between the reporters and the development team.
In conclusion, a good bug report facilitates efficient bug resolution, promotes effective communication and collaboration, optimizes time and resources, aids in bug tracking and management, contributes to continuous improvement, enhances user satisfaction, and improves software stability and reliability.
