Found a bug: do you kill it or fix it?

May 31st, 2023

I was having a conversation with a potential client for my business and they asked me “By bug in your website name do you mean a computer virus?”. It was a surprise to discover their unfamiliarity with this word. I am so passionate about fixing bugs in websites and software that I hardly thought it would be a challenge to convey the same message to a larger crowd. But when working with non-tech people looks like it will be challenging to explain that the bugs we are trying to fix are not the bed bugs.

Let’s try to go over a few concerns about the terminology.

What is a bug in technical terminology?

In technical terms, a bug refers to a flaw or an error in a software program or system. It’s like a mistake or a problem that causes the software to not work as intended. Bugs can lead to unexpected behavior, crashes, or incorrect results. So when you encounter a problem in a website, a mobile app, or a software think about how can you fix it, not kill it. At times common bugs like software not responding etc are fixed by restarting the application but some errors demand more attention. I will explain below what can you do when you encounter a not so fix it yourself bug.
What are typical bugs in websites and mobile apps?

In websites and mobile apps, there can be various types of bugs. Here are a few common examples:

Display issues:
Sometimes, elements on a website or app may not appear correctly, such as images not loading or text overlapping.

Functionality problems:
This can include buttons that don’t work when clicked, forms that don’t submit properly, or links that lead to the wrong page.

Performance or speed issues:
Apps or websites may become slow or unresponsive, taking longer than expected to load or respond to user interactions.

Compatibility errors:
Certain features might not work on specific devices or browsers, causing problems for users who are unable to access or use them.

Now let’s talk about what is required to fix the bug.

To fix bugs, developers need to identify and understand the cause of the issue. They typically use software debugging tools to help locate the problem area in the code. Once the bug is found, developers make changes to the code to correct the issue and then test the software to ensure that the fix works without introducing new problems.

Developers? Huh. But you are not a developer.
How can a non-technical person handle a bug they encounter?

Let me advise you If you encounter a bug in a website or mobile app, here’s what you can do as a non-technical person:

Document the problem:
Take note of what exactly happened, including any error messages or unusual behavior. It can be helpful to take screenshots or record a short video to provide visual evidence of the bug.

Report the bug:
Reach out to the website or app’s support team or developer. You can usually find their contact information on their website or app store page. Describe the bug in simple terms and provide any relevant information you documented.

Be patient:
Bugs take time to fix, so it’s important to be patient. The development team will investigate the issue and work on a solution. If possible, check for software updates, as the bug may have already been identified and fixed in a newer version.
As a non-technical person, your role is to report the bug and provide information that can help the developers understand and fix the issue.

I hope this clarifies the ambiguity in the word bug we work with at BugCrew.
I’d be happy to answer if you have any more questions about bugs 🙂

By: @bhu1st