What is a bug classified as? - briefly
In software development, a bug is classified as a defect—an unintended flaw that causes incorrect or unexpected behavior.
What is a bug classified as? - in detail
A software defect, commonly referred to as a bug, is an unintended deviation from a system’s specified behavior. Classification serves to describe the nature, impact, and origin of the defect, enabling effective management and resolution.
The defect type identifies the technical domain in which the error occurs. Typical categories include:
- Logic error – incorrect algorithm or condition causing wrong output.
- Integration error – mismatched interfaces or data contracts between components.
- Performance anomaly – excessive latency, resource consumption, or throughput shortfall.
- User‑interface flaw – misplaced elements, incorrect labeling, or accessibility violation.
- Security vulnerability – exposure to unauthorized access, injection, or data leakage.
- Configuration mistake – improper settings, environment variables, or deployment scripts.
Severity measures the effect on functionality or business operations. Common levels are:
- Critical – system crash, data loss, or complete service outage.
- High – major feature failure, significant data corruption, or security breach.
- Medium – partial loss of functionality, work‑around required.
- Low – minor inconvenience, cosmetic issue, or non‑impacting behavior.
Priority reflects the urgency for remediation, often aligned with project timelines, regulatory requirements, or customer commitments. It is assigned independently of severity; a low‑severity defect may receive high priority if it blocks a release.
Root‑cause classification traces the origin of the defect. Standard frameworks such as IEEE Std 1044 and ISO/IEC 25010 define categories like:
- Requirements defect – ambiguous, incomplete, or contradictory specifications.
- Design defect – flawed architecture, data model, or interaction design.
- Implementation defect – coding mistakes, misuse of APIs, or incorrect version control operations.
- Test defect – inadequate test coverage, missing test cases, or faulty test data.
- Process defect – insufficient review, poor change management, or lack of documentation.
Each classification dimension—type, severity, priority, and root cause—provides a structured view that supports triage, resource allocation, and quality‑improvement initiatives. Consistent application of these categories across development cycles enhances predictability, reduces rework, and improves overall product reliability.