The Art of Effective Bug Reporting

Ever felt like your bug reports are speaking a different language than your developers? ?? Or perhaps you've received a bug report that's as clear as fog? Let's face it - bug reporting can sometimes feel like navigating a maze blindfolded.

But what if we told you that effective bug reporting could be your team's secret weapon to faster fixes, happier developers, and smoother product launches? Let's dive in!

??? Did you know? Developers spend up to 50% of their time deciphering poorly written bug reports or chasing down missing information!

Elements of an Effective Bug Report

Finding a bug and reporting it are two different tasks. While spotting a bug might be straightforward, articulating it effectively is where things get complicated.

To bridge the gap between testers and developers, a bug report should answer these key questions:

• What is the problem?
• How can the developer reproduce the problem (to see it for themselves)?
• Where in the software (which webpage or feature) has the problem appeared?
• What is the environment (browser, device, OS) in which the problem has occurred?

Example of an Ideal Bug Report

Check out this example bug report to see how detailed reporting can make a difference.

? Best Practices for Writing Clear Bug Reports

• Be Clear and Specific: Write concise and specific descriptions. Example: “App crashes when clicking the ‘Submit’ button on the feedback form.”
• Provide Detailed Steps to Reproduce: List step-by-step instructions to replicate the bug. Example: “1. Open the app. 2. Go to the feedback form. 3. Click ‘Submit’.”
• Include Relevant Environment Details: Mention the device, OS, and app version. Example: “Tested on iPhone 12, iOS 14.5, App version 2.3.1.”
• Use Screenshots and Attachments: Attach screenshots, logs, or videos for context. Example: Screenshot of the error or a video demo of the issue.
• Assign Correct Severity and Priority: Assess and assign accurate severity and priority. Example: “Severity: High, Priority: High.”
• Be Objective: Stick to facts, avoiding assumptions or opinions. Example: “The login button is unresponsive” (not "The button is broken").

What if we told you there’s a simpler way to report bugs?

Speed up debugging by 30% with instant replays, screen recordings, and all the essential logs - like console and network info - all wrapped in one clean, actionable report.

This means less back-and-forth between testers, PMs, devs, and QAs. Focus on what matters: ensuring software quality. Learn more!

At the end of the day, bug reports are a crucial part of the QA workflow. With the right tools and practices in place, you can significantly cut down on the time spent debugging and push your product to market faster, with fewer hiccups.

What's Hot at BrowserStack???

• We celebrated World Testers Day with our #IconsOfQuality campaign, shining a spotlight on the dedicated testers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that every product we use is reliable, efficient, and a joy to use.

• BrowserStack just celebrated its 13th birthday, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about how far we’ve come. From a small team with big dreams to powering millions of tests every day, it’s been an incredible journey. Take a look at our anniversary celebrations! ??

• We're thrilled and proud to announce BrowserStack has been named in the 2024 Forbes #Cloud100 list for the fourth time! This recognition wouldn't be possible without our incredible customers, partners and our amazing team. ??

We hope you enjoyed reading this edition of The Quality Loop as much as we did curating it for you. Let us know in the comments below what you want to see in the upcoming editions, we're waiting! ??