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Defect Report

A Defect Report is a detailed document that captures all the information about a bug or a flaw found in software. Its purpose is to clearly communicate the issue to the development team so they can understand, reproduce, and fix it efficiently. A good defect report is crucial for the bug-fixing process as it contains all the necessary details, from the problem itself to its potential impact.

A typical defect report includes:

  • A unique ID for tracking.
  • A clear, concise title.
  • A detailed description of the issue.
  • The exact steps to reproduce the defect.
  • The actual result versus the expected result.
  • The environment where the bug was found (e.g., browser, operating system).
  • The severity and priority of the defect.
  • Any attachments, such as screenshots or video recordings.

Example: A quality assurance tester finds that a website's login feature is causing an unexpected issue. They would create a Defect Report with a title like "Login page freezes after three failed attempts." The report would then detail the steps to reproduce the bug:

  1. Navigate to the login page.
  2. Enter an incorrect password three times.
  3. Click the "Login" button a fourth time.

The report would then state that the "Actual Result" is the page freezing, while the "Expected Result" is an error message, such as "You have exceeded the maximum number of login attempts. Please try again later." This detailed report allows the developer to quickly identify and fix the issue.