There is nothing worse than a developer rejecting your bug with: “It works on my machine.”
You found a real issue, you documented it (well, you think you did), but the dev says they can’t reproduce it or worse: “Not a bug.”
The problem?
Not your testing.
Not your skills.
But your bug report.
Today I’ll show you the exact format that senior QA Leads use to write bugs that developers fix faster, with less back-and-forth, and with zero ambiguity.
Why Good Bug Reports Matter
A bug report is not a complaint.
It is a technical instruction manual that explains:
- What went wrong
- How to reproduce it
- What should have happened
A poorly written bug wastes everyone’s time.
A well-written bug helps developers trust your work, improves release quality, and makes you look like a rockstar QA.
Dev Tip: “If your bug is clear, reproducible, and includes evidence, we love you.”
What Is a Good Bug Report?
A good bug report is a clear, concise, and reproducible description of a software defect. It includes a meaningful title, exact steps to reproduce, actual vs expected results, environment details, and supporting evidence. A well-written bug reduces ambiguity and helps developers fix issues faster.
The Anatomy of a Perfect Bug Report
Below are the mandatory fields every strong bug report must include.
1. Title / Summary
This is the headline of your defect, the first thing developers see.
Avoid generic titles like:
“Login failed”
Use descriptive, searchable titles:
“Login returns 500 error when password contains special characters (#, %, @)”
Tips for a great title:
- Mention the module
- Mention the failure
- Mention the condition
- Keep it under 10–12 words
2. Steps to Reproduce
This is where most junior testers struggle.
Your steps must be:
- Numbered
- Precise
- Reproducible
- Straightforward
Example:
1. Open Chrome v120
2. Navigate to https://example.com/login
3. Enter email: test@example.com
4. Enter password: Testing@123#
5. Click the “Login” button
Dev Tip: “If your steps start with ‘Go to our app’, I already know you’re a junior.”
3. Actual Result vs Expected Result (The Heart of the Report)
This is the section developers read twice.
It tells them exactly what is wrong.
Wrong Format:
Actual Result:
“The login doesn’t work.”
Expected Result:
“It should work.”
Correct Format:
Actual Result:
User sees 500 Internal Server Error after clicking Login.
Expected Result:
User should be logged in and redirected to the Dashboard.
Strong separation avoids ambiguity and reduces dev questions.
4. Environment / Context
You must always specify:
- Browser & version
- OS
- App environment (QA, Staging, Prod)
- App version/build number
- Device (if mobile)
Example:
Environment: QA
Build: 2.4.8
Browser: Chrome 120.0
OS: Windows 11
Dev Tip: “If the bug only happens on Safari, trust me, I will touch your feet for telling me that upfront.”
5. Evidence (Screenshots, Videos, Logs)
Screenshots are great.
Videos are better.
Logs are king.
Provide at least one:
- Screenshot with the error
- Video showing the steps
- Console logs for UI issues
- API request/response logs
- Stack trace for backend errors
This can reduce dev effort by 40–60%.
Dev Tip: “Attach HAR logs. We beg you.”
Lazy Bug Report vs. Pro Bug Report
| Feature | Lazy Bug Report | Professional Bug Report |
|---|---|---|
| Title | “Login not working” | “500 Error on Login when using special characters” |
| Steps to Reproduce | Vague / Missing | Clear, numbered, reproducible |
| Evidence | None | Screenshot + Console + HAR |
| Actual/Expected | “Should work” | Detailed technical behavior |
| Environment | Missing | Full OS + Browser + Build |
| Developer Reaction | 😒 | 😍 |
Which one will get fixed faster?
You already know.
Copy-Paste Bug Report Template (Jira/Trello/GitHub)
Use this template starting today and watch your fix rate skyrocket.
Bug Report Template (Markdown)
## Bug Title:
500 Error on Login when password contains special characters
---
## Environment:
- App Version/Build:
- Browser & Version:
- OS:
- Device (if mobile):
- Environment (QA/Staging/Prod):
---
## Steps to Reproduce:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
---
## Actual Result:
(Describe what happened, include error codes/messages)
---
## Expected Result:
(Describe the correct behavior)
---
## Evidence:
- Screenshot:
- Video:
- Console Logs:
- API Logs:
- HAR File:
---
## Additional Notes:
- Frequency (Always / Sometimes / Rare)
- Related Tickets
- Suspected Module
Why Developers Reject Your Bugs (And How This Template Fixes It)
Here’s why “Cannot Reproduce” happens:
- Missing environment details
- Missing exact steps
- Missing data used
- Missing logs
- Bug caused by wrong test data
- Two bugs mixed into one
This template forces clarity and eliminates all those issues.
Once you submit a bug, it enters the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) and moves through stages like Open → Assigned → Fixed → Retest → Closed.
Bonus Tips to Become a Bug Reporting Master
1. Always Reproduce Twice
If you cannot reproduce it consistently, label it as:
Intermittent Bug
2. Avoid Emotional Language
Don’t: “Your code broke the feature.”
Do: “Application throws NullPointerException when clicking Update.”
3. Break One Bug Into One Ticket
Don’t combine multiple issues in one report unless they are truly related.
4. Provide Data Used
Especially for API, login, payments, and forms.
5. Respect the Dev’s Time
Your clarity = their speed.
Dev Tip: “If your bug takes 1 minute to understand, I’ll fix it the same day. If it takes 10 minutes, I’ll delay it 3 sprints.”
Conclusion
Writing an effective bug report is more than a QA task, it’s a career skill.
A clear bug makes your team efficient, improves developer trust, and strengthens your reputation as a world-class tester.