Types of Bug Tracking Software

A software development project that is well-designed, well-built, and well-maintained is capable of converting customers into advocates of the brand. But, in order for any software project to achieve this, there needs to be a commitment for iterative improvement by utilizing two varying, but also complementary, approaches to discovering, fixing, and preventing the occurrence of bugs and potential errors.

Task Management Systems:

Task management systems, otherwise known as project management, are utilized to view a project on a larger scale. More than just a solution to keep track of the progress of bug fixes, task management systems provide valuable insights into the performance of the development team and their efficiency in handling bugs and errors, while also creating new features on the side.

Task management systems are most effective at keeping track of the life of an issue or the risk for collaborative teams in the development process of software programs. The most suitable systems include log management tools and prioritization logic capable of identifying which bugs should be prioritized for fixing and how long each phase should take.

The performance measures that are offered by task management systems enable project managers to acquire a better understanding of the team’s capabilities to meet target deadlines and expose inconsistencies that may derail schedules. There are plenty of task management products that fit in this category:

PivotalTracker – PivotalTracker is a flexible project management solution for software teams that want to collaborate with other developers in real time around a shared, prioritized backlog of data.

Backlog – Backlog is a comprehensive project management system, a bug tracking software solution, and a version control solution packed into a single platform. It serves multiple functions to make the process easier and more efficient.

WhiteSource – This software solution empowers businesses and organizations to develop reliable and better quality software with the aid of open source systems.

Countly – Countly provides a 360-degree view of the project. The product is a web and mobile analytics platform capable of collecting data from various applications and processes the information in real time. It also provides development teams with advanced tools that allow them to understand their users better.

Bug Capturing Tools:

With task management systems providing users with the ability to take a good look at the big picture of all tasks and issues, there is a need for a more direct real-time approach to detecting bugs and errors. This is where bug capturing tools can come in handy.

The main purpose of bug capturing tools is to provide real-time reports on live errors as they occur within the project or application. They also provide developers and IT teams with crucial information about the bug or error.

Bug capturing tools, also known as bug trackers, work by categorizing and de-duplicating bugs so IT teams and development teams will be able to work on a fix for the bug. Such software solutions should be as streamlined and efficient as possible to minimize the time and resource costs associated with the finding and isolating of bugs and errors.

BugReplay – BugReplay is a software product that records network traffic, JavaScript logs, environmental data, and browser screens, essentially reproducing all the information that development teams require to effectively diagnose and fix bugs within the application.

Sentry – Sentry is a comprehensive open source bug tracking software solution that allows development teams and IT experts to customize the tool to suit their specific needs and preferences.

LambdaTest – A cloud-based cross-browser testing platform, LambdaTest enables development teams to efficiently test their website and web applications across more than 1400 browser-OS combinations.

Sifter – Sifter is a web, email, and mobile issue tracking solution that makes the process more convenient and efficient for developers. The system is designed to make things easier even for the least technical or on inexperienced teams.

How to Choose Bug Tracking Software

Regardless of the project or software being developed and maintained, bugs and errors can occur at any time. Once they do happen, they can potentially delay the development process or compromise the structural and operational integrity of the application. As such, precious time may be lost in figuring out the issue and finding the appropriate solutions.

This is why using a reliable and effective bug tracking software is a crucial tool for any software development team. However, trying to find the right error tracker can be difficult and sometimes confusing, considering the number of products in the market. Here are a few deciding factors you need to consider when in the market for a good bug tracking software:

Adaptability – The majority of software programs and applications today involve using different technologies, tools, and even frameworks. Each of these factors requires bug tracking solutions that can adapt to the constantly evolving needs and priorities of the project and their scalability.

Ease of use – When choosing a bug tracker, or any software solution for that matter, ease of use is crucial. It’s important for applications to be as user-friendly as possible so even users with minimal technical expertise can effectively operate the system.

Suitability – In this case, suitability for teams is crucial when choosing a bug tracking software. Teams can be bogged down with unnecessary delays when navigating through various systems, which is not good in issue tracking when the process requires efficiency and a more streamlined approach.

Cost – When choosing a bug tracking software, the cost is one of the key factors that most businesses and organizations often consider. But, cost as the only deciding factor is a common mistake. It’s the combination of all of the above that makes it possible to find the right solution.

Benefits of Bug Tracking Software

Bug tracking software solutions focus on maintaining a comprehensive record of discovered and diagnosed bugs and errors within a software application, either in the development process or during management and maintenance of a published program.

Bug tracking solutions are crucial to any organization utilizing various applications and programs to get it up and running, especially those that rely on web, email, and mobile apps. A good bug tracker will allow users to find, diagnose, and fix errors in the least amount of time, minimizing costs and downtime.

Common Features of Bug Tracking Software