The bug life cycle, also known as the defect life cycle, describes the various stages a bug or defect goes through from its identification to its resolution. The bug life cycle typically consists of the following stages:
- New: In this stage, the bug is identified and reported by a tester or any stakeholder. It is logged into the bug tracking system with relevant details such as the bug description, steps to reproduce, and any supporting documentation or screenshots.
- Open: Once the bug is reported, it enters the open state. At this stage, the development team reviews the bug report to understand and reproduce the issue. They may assign it to the appropriate developer for further investigation and resolution.
- Assigned: In the assigned state, the bug is assigned to a developer or a team for further analysis and fixing. The developer investigates the bug, analyzes the code, and tries to reproduce the issue in the development environment.
- In Progress: When the developer starts working on the bug fix, the bug transitions to the in progress state. The developer makes the necessary code changes to resolve the bug. During this stage, the bug may undergo multiple iterations as the developer fine-tunes the fix.
- Fixed: Once the developer completes the bug fix, they mark the bug as fixed. The fixed bug then goes through internal testing and verification by the developer or the assigned tester to ensure that the fix has addressed the issue appropriately.
- Verified: After the bug fix is validated, the bug enters the verified state. A tester verifies the fix by retesting the software and confirming that the bug is no longer reproducible. If the fix is successful, the bug proceeds to the next stage. If not, it may be reopened or sent back to the developer for further action.
- Closed: Once the bug is verified, and it is confirmed that the issue has been resolved, the bug is closed. The bug tracking system is updated, and the bug is marked as closed. It means that the bug is considered resolved, and no further action is required.
- Reopened: In some cases, after being closed, a bug may resurface or reoccur. If the bug reappears, it is reopened by the tester or any stakeholder, and the bug life cycle starts again from the assigned stage. The bug will go through the stages until it is fixed and verified again.
It’s important to note that the bug life cycle can vary slightly depending on the organization, project, or bug tracking tools used. However, the general concept and stages remain similar across different software development processes.