Mastering the Art of Bug Reporting for Beginners
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Introduction to Bug Reporting
Bug reporting can be a double-edged sword. An effective bug report can swiftly resolve an application issue, while a poorly written one can lead to misunderstandings and frustration.
Over the past few years, bug tracking systems have become common in development environments. As more teams engage in in-house testing, often referred to as dogfooding, individuals beyond testers are increasingly given the opportunity to submit bug reports. However, with innovative reporting practices, programmers often face challenges from reports that are unclear or unreasonable.
The Crucial Elements of a Bug Report
A well-structured bug report is not overly complicated. By including three key elements, you can significantly reduce confusion on your team.
Describe What Happened
A common pitfall in subpar bug reports is the lack of clarity about the issue. Statements like "The photo posting screen is strange" do not provide enough information. Programmers receiving these reports may think, "What exactly is wrong?" Instead, aim to be as specific as possible. For example, "The browser crashes when selecting a photo on the posting screen" or "The layout is incorrect on the settings change screen." While it’s natural to feel anxious upon discovering a bug, avoid vague phrases like "XX is strange."
State Your Expectations
Occasionally, reports can leave programmers puzzled about the underlying issue. For instance:
- Reporter: "Clicking the trash can removes the photo."
- Programmer: "Clicking the trash can removes the photo."
- Reporter: "The specifications indicate that a confirmation dialog should appear before deletion."
- Programmer: "Got it, I’ll fix that."
Including what you expect to happen makes it easier for the programmer to grasp the situation. However, be cautious: lengthy exchanges can escalate into misunderstandings within bug tracking systems.
Provide Steps to Reproduce
For developers, nothing is more frustrating than a bug that cannot be replicated. If a report is returned with "not reproducible," it often indicates that the steps to reproduce the issue were missing or inaccurate. Clearly document the actions taken when the bug occurred, and, if possible, verify that the bug can be replicated based on your description before submitting it.
In some cases, it may be challenging to pinpoint the steps to recreate the bug, especially if it occurs sporadically. In such scenarios, include the steps you took while noting that the bug does not always manifest.
Avoid including irrelevant steps; a concise report with reliable reproduction steps is invaluable for programmers.
Summary of Effective Bug Reporting
In summary, a good bug report should comprise three essential components:
- What happened
- What to expect
- How to reproduce it
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In this video titled "Bug Report To Make Your Developers Happy | Bug Reporting As Software Tester," you will discover tips on how to create bug reports that facilitate smoother communication with developers.
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