Overview

In this article, we’ll walk through what a bug report is and why it’s useful. We’ll get a simple understanding of:

  • What to include in a bug report
  • How to describe an issue clearly
  • What a real bug report looks like
  • Handy tools that make reporting easier

This is just a friendly guide that I use to feel more confident when reporting bugs.

What is a Bug Report?

A bug report is a written document (or ticket) that tells a developer (or team) that something in the software isn’t working as it should. Think of it like leaving a note that says:

"Hey, I found something broken. Here's what happened, where, and how you can see it too."

A bug report is important because it helps us clearly explain what’s broken, where it happened, and how to reproduce it. As a result, developers can understand the problem, fix it faster, and make sure nothing important gets missed.

The Key Points of a Bug Report

  • Title - We should write a short and clear summary of the issue.
  • Where It Happened (Environment) - Let’s include details like the device, operating system, browser, or app version where the bug appeared.

  • How to Reproduce It - We need to list the exact steps that lead to the bug so someone else can follow them and see the same issue.

  • What You Expected (Expected Result) - Here, we describe what should have happened if everything worked as intended.

  • What Happened (Actual Result) - In this part, we explain what actually happened when we followed the steps.

  • Severity (Impact) - We should mention how badly the bug affects the user.

  • Priority (Urgency) - We also need to say how quickly the bug should be fixed based on urgency or business needs.

  • Screenshot or Video - Let’s include visuals if they help show the problem more clearly.

  • Error Messages or Logs - If there are any error messages or logs, we should attach them too.

Examples of a Bug Report

  • Title:
    "Login fails on LinkedIn despite correct credentials"

  • Environment

    • Device: Windows 10 laptop
    • Browser: Google Chrome (v122.0)
    • App Version: LinkedIn Web
  • Steps to Reproduce:
    1. Go to linkedin.com
    2. Enter a valid email and password
    3. Click the "Sign In" button

  • Expected Result: The user should be logged in and redirected to their LinkedIn homepage.

  • Actual Result: The page reloads with no error message, and the user stays on the login page. The login does not succeed.

  • Severity: High – Users cannot access their LinkedIn accounts.

  • Priority: High – This prevents users from using core functionality.

  • Screenshot / Video:
    [Attach screenshot or screen recording of the failed login attempt]

  • Error Logs (if available):
    No visible UI errors. Browser console shows:

    POST https://www.linkedin.com/checkpoint/lg/login-submit 403 (Forbidden)

Tools

There are many tools to help report and track bugs:

  • Jira – Great for full project and issue management
  • Trello – Simple and visual for small teams
  • Bugzilla – Good for detailed tracking
  • GitHub Issues – Works well for developer teams
  • ClickUp – Combines task management and bug tracking in one place

The right tool depends on how your team works and the complexity of your project.

Example in Jira

Here is an example of a bug report in Jira:

Image description

Conclusion

In this article, we started by understanding what a bug report is and why it matters.
It’s all about helping teams spot and fix problems faster.

Then, we looked at the key parts: a clear title, the environment where the issue happened, and simple steps to reproduce it.
We talked about describing what we expected to happen versus what actually did, and why severity and priority help show how serious and urgent the bug is.
Additionally, adding screenshots, videos, or error messages makes the report even clearer.

Finally, we also walked through a real bug report example and mentioned some helpful tools like Jira, Trello, and GitHub.
In the end, a clear bug report helps everyone work faster and smarter.