A Defect Tracking System is a software tool used to identify, document, manage, and track defects or bugs found during the software development and testing process. It helps teams log defects, prioritize fixes based on severity and priority, assign them to developers, and monitor their status until resolution. A defect tracking system improves collaboration between developers, testers, and project managers, ensuring a structured approach to bug resolution and software quality assurance.
What is a bug tracker?
A bug tracker is a tool used to record, manage, and monitor software bugs throughout the development and testing process. It allows teams to log defects, assign them to developers, set priorities, track progress, and ensure timely resolution. Bug trackers ease communication between testers, developers, and project managers, improving software quality and efficiency. Examples include Jira, Bugzilla, and QA Touch.
What is a defect life cycle?
The Defect Life Cycle, also known as the Bug Life Cycle, represents the various stages a defect goes through from discovery to resolution in the software development process. It typically includes the following stages:
- Assigned to New Defect – The defect is reported and assigned for analysis.
- Defect Validation – The assigned person checks if the defect is valid:
If invalid, it is rejected.
If it is a duplicate, it is marked accordingly.
If valid, it is assigned to the developer.
- Fixing the Defect – The developer works on resolving the defect.
- Marked as Fixed – Once resolved, the defect is marked as fixed.
- Retesting – The tester verifies the fix:
If successful, the defect is marked closed.
If unsuccessful, the defect is reopened and reassigned to the developer for further fixing.
How to decide the severity and priority of a bug?
Deciding the severity and priority of a bug depends on assessing its impact on the system and determining how urgently it needs to be fixed.
Bug Severity (Impact-Based): Severity is determined based on the technical impact of the bug on the system.
- Critical – System crash, data loss, or security vulnerabilities.
- High – Major functionality is broken, but the system is still operational.
- Medium – Non-critical features are malfunctioning, causing inconvenience.
- Low – Minor UI issues, typos, or cosmetic defects.
Bug Priority (Urgency-Based): Priority is assigned based on how soon the issue should be resolved.
- P1 (High) – Needs immediate attention, blocking development or release.
- P2 (Medium) – Should be fixed soon but is not blocking critical functionality.
- P3 (Low) – Can be addressed later as it has minimal impact.
It can be decided in the following way:
- A critical security vulnerability: Severity: Critical, Priority: High
- A broken ‘Submit’ button on a payment page: Severity: High, Priority: High
- A misaligned button on a non-critical page: Severity: Low, Priority: Low
Severity is usually determined by testers, while priority is set by the development team and product managers based on business needs.
How does QA Touch streamline the defect life cycle?
QA Touch streamlines the Defect Life Cycle by providing a structured workflow for logging, tracking, and resolving defects efficiently. It allows teams to report defects with detailed descriptions, assign them to the right developers, and monitor status changes such as New, Assigned, In Progress, Fixed, and Closed. Easy integrations with tools such as Jira and ClickUp enhance collaboration, while real-time notifications and analytics help teams stay updated and improve software quality.
