What is bug tracking?
Bug tracking, often referred to as defect tracking, is the process by which bugs and errors are logged and monitored during a software testing pipeline.
How does bug tracking work?
When a bug shows up, it basically means that the software does not function as intended. Tracking these bugs involves identifying them, monitoring, and reporting them so that they can be adequately resolved.
Some of the data to be recorded should comprise — the time of bug reporting, bug severity, details about its effect on the system, the person who reported it, and the person(s) responsible for fixing it.
The Importance of Bug Tracking
On average, developers commit 100 to 150 errors for every thousand lines of code. Naturally, testing is essential to isolate and resolve these errors. A truly capable QA process usually unearths thousands of bugs, and testers have to manage every single one. Naturally, bug tracking needs to be integrated into the development workflow in order to improve product quality.
Key Elements of Bug Tracking
Capture: When a new bug is discovered, it needs to be documented in detail so that it can be fixed by the responsible developer.
Prioritize: All captured bugs must be prioritized and assigned a severity level to map how much it affects the system.
Track: When new bugs are added to the repository, team members need to made aware of their inclusion, status, and other relevant data.
Release: This step is self-explanatory. Once bugs are fixed and the feature has been tested to verify the fix, they need to be marked as such and closed.
The Role of Real Devices in Bug Tracking
The best way to detect all bugs is to run software through real devices and browsers. When it comes to websites, ensure that it undergoes manual testing and automation testing. Automated Selenium testing should supplement manual tests so that testers do not miss any bugs in the Quality Assurance process.
In the absence of an in-house device lab, the best option is to opt for a cloud-based testing service that provides real device browsers and operating systems. This also applies to mobile app testing and automated app testing. Make sure the testing service offers a wide range of debugging tools that make it easy to share and resolve bugs.
With comprehensive debugging tools, QA teams are able to fully investigate potential bugs or issues in their website or mobile app, and identify the root cause faster than ever before. As a result, organizations can shorten test timelines while minimizing risks associated with releasing faulty code that may disrupt the customer experience.
