What is Defect/Bug Life Cycle in Software Testing? Defect Life Cycle Tutorial

Introduction to the Defect Life Cycle

In this tutorial, we are going to discuss in regards to the life cycle of a defect to make you conscious of the varied levels of a defect which a tester has to cope with whereas working in a testing setting.

We have additionally added essentially the most ceaselessly requested interview questions on Defect Life Cycle. It is vital to know in regards to the numerous states of a defect in order to grasp the life cycle of a defect. The most important intention of performing a testing exercise is to examine if the product has any points/errors.

In phrases of actual situations, errors/errors/faults are all known as bugs/defects and therefore we are able to say that the primary goal of doing testing is to make sure that the product is much less vulnerable to defects (no defects is an unrealistic state of affairs).

Now, the query arises as to what a defect is?

What Is A Defect?

A Defect, in easy phrases, is a flaw or an error in an software that is proscribing the traditional stream of an software by mismatching the anticipated habits of an software with the precise one.

The defect happens when any mistake is made by a developer through the designing or constructing of an software and when this flaw is discovered by a tester, it is termed as a defect.

It is the duty of a tester to do thorough testing of an software to seek out as many defects as attainable to make sure that a top quality product will attain the customer. It is vital to grasp the defect life cycle earlier than shifting to the workflow and totally different states of the defect.

Hence, let’s discuss extra in regards to the Defect Life Cycle.

So far, we now have mentioned the that means of defect and its relation in context to the testing exercise. Now, let’s transfer to the defect life cycle and perceive the workflow of a defect and the totally different states of a defect.

Defect Life Cycle in Detail

The Defect Life Cycle, also referred to as the Bug Life Cycle, is a cycle of defects from which it goes by means of protecting the totally different states in its complete life. This begins as quickly as any new defect is discovered by a tester and involves an finish when a tester closes that defect assuring that it gained’t get reproduced once more.

Defect Workflow

It is now time to grasp the precise workflow of a Defect Life Cycle with the assistance of a easy diagram as proven under.

Defect States

#1) New: This is the primary state of a defect in the Defect Life Cycle. When any new defect is discovered, it falls in a ‘New’ state, and validations & testing are carried out on this defect in the later levels of the Defect Life Cycle.

#2) Assigned: In this stage, a newly created defect is assigned to the event workforce to work on the defect. This is assigned by the undertaking lead or the supervisor of the testing workforce to a developer.

#3) Open: Here, the developer begins the method of analyzing the defect and works on fixing it, if required.

If the developer feels that the defect is not applicable then it could get transferred to any of the under 4 states particularly Duplicate, Deferred, Rejected, or Not a Bug-based upon a particular motive. We will talk about these 4 states in some time.

#4) Fixed: When the developer finishes the duty of fixing a defect by making the required adjustments then he can mark the standing of the defect as “Fixed”.

#5) Pending Retest: After fixing the defect, the developer assigns the defect to the tester to retest the defect at their finish, and till the tester works on retesting the defect, the state of the defect stays in “Pending Retest”.

#6) Retest: At this level, the tester begins the duty of retesting the defect to confirm if the defect is mounted precisely by the developer as per the necessities or not.

#7) Reopen: If any challenge persists in the defect, then it will likely be assigned to the developer once more for testing and the standing of the defect will get modified to ‘Reopen’.

#8) Verified: If the tester doesn’t discover any challenge in the defect after being assigned to the developer for retesting and he feels that if the defect has been mounted precisely then the standing of the defect will get assigned to ‘Verified’.

#9) Closed: When the defect doesn’t exist any longer, then the tester adjustments the standing of the defect to “Closed”.

A Few More:

• Rejected: If the defect is not thought-about a real defect by the developer then it is marked as “Rejected” by the developer.
• Duplicate: If the developer finds the defect as similar as another defect or if the idea of the defect matches another defect then the standing of the defect is modified to ‘Duplicate’ by the developer.
• Deferred: If the developer feels that the defect is not of essential precedence and it could get mounted in the subsequent releases or so in such a case, he can change the standing of the defect as ‘Deferred’.
• Not a Bug: If the defect doesn’t have an effect on the performance of the appliance, then the standing of the defect will get modified to “Not a Bug”.

The necessary fields the place a tester logs any new bug are Build model, Submit On, Product, Module, Severity, Synopsis and Description to Reproduce

In the above record, you’ll be able to add some non-obligatory fields if you’re utilizing a handbook Bug submission template. These Optional Fields embody Customer identify, Browser, Operating system, File Attachments, and screenshots.

The following fields stay both specified or clean:

If you have got the authority so as to add bug Status, Priority, and ‘Assigned to’ fields then you’ll be able to specify these fields. Otherwise, the Test Manager will set the standing and Bug precedence and assign the bug to the respective module proprietor.

Look on the following Defect cycle

The above picture is fairly detailed and when you think about the numerous steps in Bug Life Cycle you’re going to get a fast thought about it.

Upon profitable logging, the bug was reviewed by the Development and Test supervisor. Test Managers can set the bug standing as Open and might Assign the bug to the developer or the bug could also be deferred till the subsequent launch.

When a bug will get assigned to a developer, he/she will begin engaged on it. The developer can set the bug standing as gained’t repair, Couldn’t reproduce, Need extra data, or ‘Fixed’.

If the bug standing set by the developer is both “Need extra data” or “Fixed” then the QA responds with a particular motion. If the bug is mounted then the QA verifies the bug and might set the bug standing as verified closed or Reopen.

Guidelines for Implementing a Defect Life Cycle

Some vital tips could be adopted earlier than beginning to work with the Defect Life Cycle.

They are as follows:

• It is essential that earlier than beginning to work on the Defect Life Cycle, the entire workforce clearly understands the totally different states of a defect (mentioned above).
• Defect Life Cycle must be correctly documented to keep away from any confusion in the long run.
• Make positive that every particular person who has been assigned any activity associated to the Defect Life Cycle ought to perceive his/her duty very clearly for higher outcomes.
• Each particular person who is altering the standing of a defect must be correctly conscious of that standing and may present sufficient particulars in regards to the standing and the explanation for placing that standing so that everybody who is engaged on that exact defect can perceive the explanation of such a standing of a defect very simply.
• The defect monitoring instrument must be dealt with with care to take care of consistency among the many defects and thus, in the workflow of the Defect Life Cycle.

Next, let’s talk about the interview questions primarily based on the Defect Life Cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q #1) What is a defect in the attitude of Software Testing?

Answer: A defect is any form of flaw or error in the appliance that is proscribing the traditional stream of an software by mismatching the anticipated habits of an software with the precise one.

Q #2) What is the most important distinction between Error, Defect, and Failure?

Answer:

Error: If the builders discover that there is a mismatch in the precise and anticipated habits of an software in the event part then they name it an Error.

Defect: If testers discover a mismatch in the precise and anticipated habits of an software in the testing part then they name it a Defect.

Failure: If prospects or end-users discover a mismatch in the precise and anticipated habits of an software in the manufacturing part then they name it a Failure.

Q #3) What is the standing of a defect when it is initially discovered?

Answer: When a brand new defect is discovered, it is in a brand new state. This is the preliminary state of a newly discovered defect.

Q #4) What are the totally different states of a defect in the defect life cycle when a defect is authorized and glued by a developer?

Answer: Different states of a defect, in this case, are New, Assigned, Open, Fixed, Pending Retest, Retest, Verified, and Closed.

Q #5) What occurs if a tester nonetheless finds a difficulty in the defect that is mounted by a developer?

Answer: The tester can mark the state of the defect as . Reopen if he nonetheless finds a difficulty with the mounted defect and the defect will get assigned to a developer for retesting.

Q #6) What is a producible defect?

Answer: A defect that is occurring repeatedly in each execution and whose steps could be captured in each execution, then such a defect is known as a “producible” defect.

Q #7) What sort of defect is a non-reproductible defect?

Answer: A defect that is not occurring repeatedly in each execution and is producing solely at some situations and whose steps as proof should be captured with the assistance of screenshots, then such a defect is known as as a no reproducible.

Q #8) What is a defect report?

Answer: A defect report is a doc that features reporting details about the defect or flaw in the appliance which is inflicting the traditional stream of an software to deviate from its anticipated habits.

Q #9) What particulars are included in the defect report?

Answer: A defect report consists of Defect ID, Description of the defect, Feature Name, Test Case Name, Reproducible defect or not, Status of the defect, Severity, and Priority of the defect, Tester Name, Date of testing of the defect, Build Version in which the defect was discovered, the Developer to whom the defect has been assigned, identify of the one who has mounted the defect, Screenshots of a defect depicting the stream of the steps, Fixing the date of a defect, and the one who has authorized the defect.

Q #10) When is a defect modified to a ‘deferred’ state in the defect life cycle?

Answer: When a defect that is discovered is not of very excessive significance and the one which may get mounted in the later releases are moved to a ‘deferred’ state in the Defect Life Cycle.

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Additional Information on Defect or Bug

• A defect could be launched at any level in the Software Development Life Cycle.
• Earlier, the Defect is detected and eliminated, the decrease the general price of high quality will likely be.
• The price of high quality is minimized when the defect is eliminated in the identical part in which it was launched.
• Static testing finds the defect, not a failure. The price is minimized as debugging is not concerned.
• In Dynamic testing, the presence of a defect is revealed when it causes a failure.

States of Defect

S.No.	Initial State	Returned State	Confirmation State
1	Gather data for individual answerable for reproducing the Defect	Defect is Rejected or requested for extra data	Defect is Fixed and must be examined and closed
2	States are Open or New	States are Rejected or Clarification.	States are Resolved and Verification.

Invalid and Duplicate Defect Report

• Sometimes defects happen, not due to code however due to check setting or misunderstanding, such a report must be closed as an Invalid defect.
• In the case of Duplicate Report, one is saved and one is closed as a replica. Some invalid stories are accepted by the Manager.
• The Test Manager owns the general Defect Management & course of and the Defect Management instrument cross-functional workforce is usually answerable for managing the stories.
• Participants embody Test Managers, Developers, PMs, Production Managers, and different stakeholders who’re .
• The Defect Management committee ought to decide the validity of every defect and decide when to repair or defer. To decide this, take into account the associated fee, dangers, and advantages of not fixing any defect.
• If the defect must be mounted, then its precedence must be decided.

Defect Data

• Name of the Person
• Types of Testing
• Problem Summary
• Detailed Description of Defect.
• Steps to Reproduce
• Life Cycle Phase
• Work product the place Defect was launched.
• Severity and Priority
• Subsystem or Component the place the Defect is launched.
• Project Activity occurring when the Defect is launched.
• Identification Method
• Type of Defect
• Projects and Products in which issues exist
• Current Owner
• Current State of the Report
• Work product the place Defect occurred.
• Impact on Project
• Risk, loss, alternative, and advantages related to fixing or not fixing the defect.
• Dates when numerous defect lifecycle phases happen.
• Description of how the defect was resolved and suggestions for testing.
• References

Process Capability

• Introduction, Detection, and Removal data -> Improve Defect detection and Cost of Quality.
• Introduction -> Praetor evaluation of the method in which the most important variety of defects is launched to scale back the entire variety of defects.
• Defect Root data -> discover underline causes for the defect to scale back the entire variety of defects.
• Defect Component data -> Perform Defect Cluster Analysis.

Conclusion

This is all in regards to the Defect Life Cycle and Management.

We hope you have to have gained immense information in regards to the life cycle of a defect. This tutorial will, in flip, make it easier to whereas working with the defects in the long run in a simple method.