Tired of re-producing bugs? Essentials in bug reporting
Bugs are meant to be re-produced!
Testers live up to their own ways of exploratory testing approaches and bugs are being raised based on millions of their analytical thinking patterns while leading the requirement.
While developers are focused on building the product, testers are busy in exploring the system and breaking it before the end-user does. Using the QA testing techniques, the business requirement is lead while deriving millions of scenarios surrounded by the happy path. So bugs are discovered on each and every single workflows during the simultaneous test execution which the developer may not be able to track during the unit testing.
No matter how many of bugs are being raised, if they are not re-producible the bugs become invalid. Rather closing them as invalid, even if we consume a lot of time and the bug is still not reproducible, then it will be less productive.
So it’s super important to keep your bug re-producible until it’s communicated for a fix!
In your bug report, “Steps to re-produce” description helps the developer to encounter the issue as the same way the tester experiences.
Then how to write “Steps to re-produce” RIGHT?
- Be precise!
Write the steps to the point and don’t write lengthy essays. None will read your report with cumbersomeness.
2. Keep it clear and concise.
Do not miss any points. Use the language correct. Lack of clarity will make your bug non-reproducible!
3. Mention the EXACT test data.
Sometimes the bug might be depending on the exact test data which you used. So always mention the exact test date where as possible.
4. State the exact same ORDER of steps
If any step is dis-ordered , the bugs cannot be encountered!
5. Clear cache and cookies
Make sure the bug is re-producible after clearing cache and cookies and mention it clearly in the description.
6. Steps should be UNAMBIGUOUS!
7. Watch with patience!
Note the invalid behavior while mentioning the same exact steps that you observe and state them in the steps. If any minor behavior is missed to mention it can cause for not to re-producing the bug.
8. Add the screen shots where as possible.
9. Mention the exact devices or browsers or environments.
10. Re-test before report!
Don’t be hurry to report on the basis of one single occurrence of the issue. Verify a few time to make sure the bug is re-producible.
Keep your bug re-producible or never expect a fix!
