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My QA Playbook

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Milestone 5 - From Bug report to Bug Life Cycle

What is difference between Error, Defect, and Failure?

Error

  • An error refers to a human action that produces an incorrect or unintended result.
  • It is a mistake made by a person during the software development process.
  • Errors can occur at any stage, such as requirements gathering, design, coding, or testing.
  • These mistakes can be caused by misunderstandings, lack of knowledge, carelessness, or other human factors.

Defect

  • A defect, also known as a bug or software fault, is a flaw or deviation in the software that causes it to behave in an unintended or incorrect manner.
  • Defects can result from errors made during the development process or from other factors like environmental conditions or unforeseen interactions.
  • Defects may manifest as functional issues, performance problems, security vulnerabilities, or usability concerns.
  • Defects can be identified through various testing techniques or reported by users.

Failure

  • A failure occurs when the software system or a component does not perform its intended function as specified.
  • It is the manifestation of a defect during the execution of the software. Failures are observed by end-users or testers and can lead to incorrect or unexpected results, crashes, system malfunctions, or other undesirable behaviors.
  • Failures can impact the functionality, reliability, or performance of the software.

To summarize,

  • an error is a mistake made by a human,
  • a defect is a flaw or problem in the software, and
  • a failure is the actual occurrence of incorrect or unexpected behavior during the execution of the software due to a defect.

Errors can lead to defects, and defects, when triggered, can cause failures. Identifying and addressing defects is essential to prevent failures and ensure the quality and reliability of software systems.

Bugreport

an effective bug report should be clear, concise, and actionable. Try to anticipate your clients (developer) questions

  • are all the necessary information providing
  • will my report help the development team understand and address the bug quickly and efficiently.

Capture and document the defect

Whenever you file a bug you include relevant details such as: the defect description

steps to reproduce

expected behavior [expected result], actual behavior [actual result], any supporting attachments like screenshots or log files.

Assess the severity

  • Evaluate the impact of the defect on the system or product.
  • Assign a severity level, such as critical, major, minor, or cosmetic, based on the defect’s potential impact on functionality, user experience, or business processes.

Prioritize the defect

  • Determine the priority of the defect, considering factors like its severity, business impact, customer requirements, and project constraints.
  • Assign priorities like high, medium, or low to indicate the order in which the defects should be addressed.

Bug Life Cycle

  • is a set of distinct stages that a software bug goes through during its existence. It outlines the different states a bug transitions through, from its identification to its resolution and verification. Understanding the bug life cycle is crucial for effective bug management and software quality assurance. Here are the typical stages in the bug life cycle:

New:

When a bug is initially discovered and reported, it is assigned a “New” status. At this stage, the bug report contains information about the defect, such as its description, the steps to reproduce it, and any supporting attachments.

Open:

After the bug report is reviewed and validated, it is marked as “Open” and assigned to the appropriate development or testing team. The team begins investigating the bug and analyzing its root cause.

Assigned:

Once a developer or tester takes responsibility for fixing the bug, the bug’s status changes to “Assigned.” The developer starts working on resolving the issue and developing a fix.

In Progress:

When the developer is actively working on fixing the bug, the status is changed to “In Progress.” This stage indicates that the bug fix is underway, and the developer may provide updates on their progress.

Fixed:

When the developer believes they have resolved the bug, the status changes to “Fixed.” The fix undergoes internal testing to ensure that the issue has been adequately addressed.

Verified:

After the bug fix is deemed successful during internal testing, it is assigned to a tester for verification. The tester retests the software to ensure that the bug has been fully resolved. If the bug is not fixed, it is reopened and sent back to the developer.

Closed:

If the tester confirms that the bug has been resolved, the bug’s status is changed to “Closed.” The issue is considered resolved and closed in the bug tracking system. The bug is no longer actively monitored or worked upon, though its information remains accessible for future reference.

Reopened:

In case the bug resurfaces or the fix is not satisfactory, the tester can reopen the bug. It re-enters the bug life cycle at the appropriate stage, depending on the nature of the issue.

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What is difference between Error, Defect, and Failure?

Error:

  • An error refers to a human action that produces an incorrect or unintended result. It is a mistake made by a person during the software development process. Errors can occur at any stage, such as requirements gathering, design, coding, or testing. These mistakes can be caused by misunderstandings, lack of knowledge, carelessness, or other human factors.

Defect:

  • A defect, also known as a bug or software fault, is a flaw or deviation in the software that causes it to behave in an unintended or incorrect manner. Defects can result from errors made during the development process or from other factors like environmental conditions or unforeseen interactions. Defects may manifest as functional issues, performance problems, security vulnerabilities, or usability concerns. Defects can be identified through various testing techniques or reported by users.

Failure:

  • A failure occurs when the software system or a component does not perform its intended function as specified. It is the manifestation of a defect during the execution of the software. Failures are observed by end-users or testers and can lead to incorrect or unexpected results, crashes, system malfunctions, or other undesirable behaviors. Failures can impact the functionality, reliability, or performance of the software.

To summarize,

  • an error is a mistake made by a human,
  • a defect is a flaw or problem in the software, and
  • a failure is the actual occurrence of incorrect or unexpected behavior during the execution of the software due to a defect.

Errors can lead to defects, and defects, when triggered, can cause failures. Identifying and addressing defects is essential to prevent failures and ensure the quality and reliability of software systems.

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