1. Introduction to Software Testing
7. Bug reporting ←
Bug reporting is a critical aspect of the software testing process, involving the identification, documentation, and communication of defects or issues discovered during testing. A well-documented bug report helps developers understand and address the problem efficiently.
Benefits of a good Bug Report
A good bug report covers all the crucial information about the bug, which can be used in the debugging process:
- It helps with a detailed bug analysis.
- Gives better visibility about the bug and helps find the right direction and approach towards debugging.
- Saves cost and time by helping debug at an earlier stage.
- Prevents bugs from going into production and disrupting end-user experience.
- Acts as a guide to help avoid the same bug in future releases.
- Keeps all the stakeholders informed about the bug, helping them take corrective measures (How to write an Effective Bug Report).
How to report a bug
Step 1: Try to reproduce the bug to make sure that it is indeed a bug and not a user or environment error.
This might seem like an obvious first step but I have surprised myself with how many times I would be in the process of reporting a bug then halfway through try to reproduce the bug only to realize it was either a user error on my part or an environment issue. If you cannot reproduce the bug you found, there is a good chance that it is not actually a bug.
Step 2: Check if the bug has already been reported.
Once you have verified that you indeed have found a bug, you should see if the bug is already documented or reported. For popular software, it is probable that the bug you have found has already been reported. Aside from doing a direct Google search for your specific bug, one thing you can do is go to the bugs page for the software you are looking at and see if the bug has already been reported. Most software you are using will have a page dedicated to finding bugs. For example, if you do a Google search for “photoshop bugs,” the first link that will come up is Adobe’s bug reporting page. If a bug report already exists, that is great. You might even find a solution or workaround to the bug you are experiencing. If you cannot find an existing bug then you can create a new bug report.
If a bug has already been reported, you should not create an additional bug report. You should, however, read through the bug and write any additional comments that might help the developer to resolve the bug.
Step 3: Report the bug (or make a comment on an existing bug report).
Any developer will attest that not all bug reports are created equal. While a good bug report increases the likelihood of the bug getting fixed, a bad bug report can be a waste of time for everyone involved and can result in confusion and annoyance (How to Write an Effective Bug Report That Actually Gets Resolved (and Why Everyone Should).
Here are the key elements and steps involved in bug reporting:
1. Defect Identification:
- Bugs are identified during the execution of test cases, either manually or through automated testing.
- A defect is any variance between the expected and actual behavior of the software.
2. Bug Report Creation:
- A bug report is created to document the details of the defect. This report is typically entered into a bug tracking or issue tracking system. The report should include the following components:
- a. Title/Summary:
- - A concise and descriptive title that summarizes the issue.
- b. Description:
- - A detailed description of the bug, including the steps to reproduce it.
- - Mention the observed behavior and the expected behavior.
- c. Environment Information:
- - Details about the environment in which the bug was encountered (e.g., operating system, browser version, device).
- d. Attachments:
- - Screenshots, error logs, or any other relevant files that help illustrate the issue.
- e. Test Data:
- - If applicable, include information about the test data used during the test that led to the bug.
- f. Severity and Priority:
- - Severity: The impact of the bug on the system (e.g., critical, major, minor).
- - Priority: The urgency of fixing the bug (e.g., high, medium, low).
- g. Reproducibility:
- - Specify whether the bug is consistently reproducible or if it occurs intermittently.
- h. Status:
- - Track the current status of the bug (e.g., new, assigned, fixed, closed).
3. Bug Tracking: - Use bug tracking tools to log and manage reported defects. These tools help prioritize, assign, and monitor the status of each bug.
4. Communication: - Communicate the bug report to the development team and other relevant stakeholders.
- Maintain clear and open communication channels for discussions and updates.
5. Bug Verification: - After the development team fixes the bug, the tester verifies the resolution to ensure the issue is genuinely resolved and that no new problems have been introduced.
6. Reporting Metrics: - Generate reports on the overall status of bug reporting, including the number of bugs found, resolved, and remaining.
7. Continuous Improvement: - Analyze the root cause of significant or recurring issues to enhance the testing process continually.
- Use feedback from bug reports to improve test case design and testing strategies (HOW TO WRITE A BUG REPORT: BEST PRACTICES IN 2023).
By following a systematic and detailed bug reporting process, software development teams can streamline the debugging and resolution process, leading to more stable and reliable software products. Clear and well-documented bug reports contribute significantly to effective collaboration between testing and development teams.
Bug severity and priority are two critical aspects of bug reporting that help teams prioritize and address issues efficiently. Both concepts aid in the management of defects during the software development life cycle. Let's delve into each:
1. Bug Severity:
Bug severity refers to the impact of a defect on the functionality or performance of the software. It is a measure of how critical or severe the bug is in terms of its potential to cause harm to the system or disrupt its normal operation.
Categories of Severity:
- Critical/Showstopper: Bugs that completely halt the system or a significant portion of its functionality.
- Major/High: Bugs that have a severe impact on the software's performance, causing major malfunctions.
- Normal/Medium: Bugs that have a moderate impact but do not cause critical failures.
- Minor/Low: Bugs that have a minor impact on the software's performance or are cosmetic in nature.
Example:
If a bug prevents users from logging into a system, it would be categorized as critical severity. On the other hand, a bug that causes a minor formatting issue on a less frequently used page might be categorized as low severity.
2. Bug Priority:
Bug priority refers to the importance or urgency of fixing a defect. It helps teams determine the order in which bugs should be addressed. Priority is often based on business goals, project timelines, and the overall impact of the bug on the development and testing process.
Categories of Priority:
- Immediate/Urgent: Bugs that require immediate attention because they are critical to the core functionality or have a severe impact on users.
- High: Bugs that need to be addressed soon, but may not be as urgent as immediate priority issues.
- Medium: Bugs that have a moderate impact and can be addressed in the normal development cycle.
- Low: Bugs that have a minimal impact on the software, and their resolution can be deferred to a later release.
Example:
If a bug is preventing users from completing essential tasks, it would be assigned a high priority. On the other hand, a low-priority bug might be a minor user interface issue that doesn't affect core functionality.
Relationship between Severity and Priority:
While severity and priority are related, they are not the same. A bug can have high severity but low priority or vice versa. For example, a critical bug with high severity might have a lower priority if it only affects a small subset of users and there is a temporary workaround.
In summary, severity reflects the impact of a bug on the software, while priority indicates the urgency with which it needs to be fixed. Both aspects are crucial for effective bug management and communication between testing and development teams (The Anatomy Of a Good Bug Report).
Defect life cycle
The bug life cycle, also known as the defect life cycle, outlines the stages that a bug goes through from its identification to its resolution and verification. The bug life cycle is an integral part of the software development and testing process, providing a structured approach to managing and addressing defects. Here are the typical stages in the bug life cycle:
1. New:
- The bug is identified by a tester during the testing phase.
- The bug is reported and logged into the bug tracking system.
2.Assigned:
- The bug report is assigned to the development team.
- A developer reviews the bug report and begins the process of understanding and fixing the issue.
3. Open:
- The developer confirms the existence of the bug.
- The bug is open and marked for fixing.
4. Fixed:
- The developer has fixed the code to address the reported bug.
- The fixed code undergoes testing by the development team to ensure the resolution is effective.
5. Pending Retest:
- The bug is marked as "Pending Retest" after the fix.
- It is waiting for the testing team to retest the fixed code.
6. Retest:
- The testing team retests the fixed code to verify that the bug has been successfully resolved.
- If the bug is not verified as fixed, it is reopened and sent back to the development team.
7. Verified:
- The testing team confirms that the bug has been successfully fixed and is no longer present in the software.
- The bug is marked as "Verified" or "Closed."
8. Reopen (Optional):
- If the bug is found again after being closed, it may be reopened.
- The bug goes through the cycle again, starting from the "Assigned" or "Open" status.
9. Closed:
- The bug is considered resolved, and the status is set to "Closed."
- A detailed resolution note may be added, summarizing how the bug was fixed.
Additional States (Optional):
In some bug tracking systems, additional states may be included, such as:
- Rejected: The reported issue is not considered a valid bug.
- Deferred: The bug is acknowledged but will not be addressed in the current release; it is planned for a future release.
- Duplicate: The reported issue is a duplicate of an existing bug.
(What is a Defect Life Cycle or a Bug lifecycle in software testing?).
Importance of Bug Life Cycle:
Understanding and following the bug life cycle is essential for effective bug tracking and management. It provides a clear framework for communication between testing and development teams, helps prioritize bug fixing efforts, and ensures that bugs are resolved systematically. This structured approach contributes to the overall quality and reliability of the software being developed.
There is also the concept of a floating bugs.
As a software tester, you are responsible for ensuring that the software you are testing is free from any defects. One of the most challenging bugs to find is the floating bug. These bugs are elusive and can be difficult to pinpoint.
A Floating Bug is a type of bug that appears randomly and disappears without a trace. It can be difficult to reproduce and isolate the root cause of the problem, making it a challenge for testers to find and fix.
How to catch floating bugs?
Catching a floating bug requires careful observation and recording of the bug’s behavior. Let’s outline a few tips for catching these elusive bugs:
- Try to reproduce the bug by performing the same steps that caused the problem. It will help you isolate the issue and determine its root cause.
- Gather as much data as possible about the bug, including the steps taken to reproduce it, screenshots, and error messages. With its help, you can understand the problem and communicate it effectively to the development team.
- Use automated testing tools to help you identify and catch floating bugs. Automated tests can run repeatedly, making it easier to reproduce the problem and capture its behavior.
- Work closely with the development team to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Their expertise can be invaluable in identifying and resolving the problem.
What to do with the found floating bugs?
When you find a floating bug, you should report it to the development team immediately.
Provide as much information as possible, including steps to reproduce the issue, screenshots, and any other relevant data.
How to help developers to reproduce the floating bugs?
Reproducing a floating bug can be challenging, but here are some tips to help developers:
- Share your testing environment with the development team to help them reproduce the problem in the same environment.
- Share video screen records in order to show your activity leading to the bug occurrence.
- Make a brainstorming meeting in order to collaborate with the development team and find a way to reproduce the bug.
- Pay attention to the exact time of the floating bug's appearance.
- Review logs with the developers in order to see suspicious records (How To Find Floating Bugs; Dealing with Intermittent Bugs).
Following are some of the key challenges in debugging intermittent defects:
- Reproducibility: One of the biggest challenges in debugging intermittent defects is the difficulty in reproducing them consistently. This can make it difficult to isolate the problem and identify the code responsible for the defect.
- Complexity: Intermittent defects can be caused by a variety of factors, including concurrency issues, resource constraints, and interactions with third-party components. This complexity can make it difficult to track down the root cause of the defect.
- Limited information: When an intermittent defect occurs, it can be difficult to gather enough information to reproduce and debug it. This is because the defect may occur only under specific and unpredictable conditions.
Here are some steps to help you deal with intermittent bugs:
1. Document the Bug: The first step is to thoroughly document the bug. Create a detailed bug report that includes information like the steps to reproduce (even if they're intermittent), the environment, any error messages, and screenshots or logs if available. The more information you can provide, the better.
2. Reproduce the Bug: Try to reproduce the bug in different environments, browsers, or devices. Sometimes, intermittent bugs are specific to certain conditions, and identifying those conditions can help in finding the root cause. It is good to think from a user perspective while testing.
3. Use Debugging Tools: Utilize debugging tools and techniques to capture additional information about the bug when it occurs. This might include logging, breakpoints, or profiling tools. These tools can help you capture data that can aid in diagnosing the issue.
4. Isolate the Problem: It is good to have an high-level idea If the bug occurs in a complex system, try to isolate it to a smaller, more manageable portion of the code. This can help narrow down the root cause.
5. Check the test environment: Intermittent bugs can sometimes be caused by external factors like network issues, system load, or third-party dependencies. Investigate if any of these factors could be contributing to the problem.
6. Version Control: Ensure that you're working with the correct version of your codebase and that there are no discrepancies between the development and production environments.
7. Collaborate with Others: Discuss the bug with your team members or colleagues. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can help identify potential causes or solutions.
8. Regression Testing: Create a set of regression tests that can be run automatically whenever changes are made to the code. This can help catch intermittent bugs as soon as they reappear.
9. Monitor and Alerting: Implement monitoring and alerting systems that can notify you when the bug occurs in production. This can provide valuable information about the bug's frequency and conditions.
10. Code Reviews: Review the code associated with the bug with other developers. Sometimes, code review can uncover issues that might not be immediately apparent.
11. Keep Records: Keep a record of when and how often the bug occurs. Patterns in the bug's behavior might help pinpoint its cause.
12. Persistence and Patience: Intermittent bugs can be frustrating, but don't give up. Sometimes, they require patience and persistence to solve. Keep working on it, and don't be afraid to revisit the issue periodically.
13. Consider the Environment: Consider whether the bug might be related to specific user actions or environmental conditions, such as slow internet connections or outdated browsers.
14. Periodic defect check: Periodically revisit areas of the application that have undergone changes or fixes to ensure that previous defects have been resolved and new ones haven't emerged.
15. Exploratory testing: Exploratory testing is a dynamic and flexible testing approach that relies on testers' expertise, creativity, and intuition to find defects in software. Encouraging exploratory testing can help in finding the corner scenarios which may result in intermittent bugs. It is good to spend 30-45 minutes on exploratory testing on daily basis (How to deal with Intermittent bugs).
In conclusion, the process of bug reporting serves as a critical bridge between users and developers, facilitating the enhancement of software quality and user experience. Through meticulous documentation and clear communication, users empower developers to identify and rectify issues efficiently, fostering a collaborative environment that drives continuous improvement. However, effective bug reporting extends beyond mere identification; it requires context, detail, and constructive feedback to enable developers to reproduce and resolve issues effectively. By embracing a culture of transparency, responsiveness, and mutual respect, both users and developers can harness the power of bug reporting to cultivate robust software ecosystems that evolve in tandem with user needs and technological advancements. As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of digital innovation, the value of comprehensive bug reporting cannot be overstated, serving as a cornerstone in the pursuit of software excellence and user satisfaction.
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