Easy & Step-By-Step Ways of Finding Bugs in Software.pdf

Easy & Step-By-Step Ways of Finding
Bugs in Software
Error in the software frustrates the software developer. And I am sure
that you might have encountered in your software development career
that you cannot find the bug in the software.
Due to bugs in the software, you might not be able to launch the
software on time. So bug-finding and solving the problem is very
important.
In this article, we will learn how to find bugs in software in a simple
and step-by-step manner. So read this article carefully, create your
own checklist, and we’ll meet at the conclusion.

Bug Finding: How to Find Maximum Bugs,
Types, and Tools
At the end of this article, you’ll be able to find the best way to find
Maximum bugs in your software, the type of bugs, and the tools which
can make your cumbersome bug-finding task with a snap of a finger.
Some Shocking Facts About Software Bugs
● The recent iPhone bug where users could not type the letter “I”.
● Some are costly bugs and can cost a fortune to fix one such bug:
the Y2K bug.
● One software bug literally led to the death of people due to the
patriot missile bug; 28 people died in 1991.
● Any buggy code reflects poorly on them and their team and will
eventually affect the company’s bottom line.
● Also, buggy code is inconvenient to work with and reduces
productivity. The more quality code you can write, the more
effective you will be. Finally, bugs are expensive.
● Various software bugs are estimated to have cost the global
economy $1.7 trillion in 2017.
Hence, finding and solving even the small bugs is crucial even in each
and every software. Bugs in software can literally shut down your
business, and I am not even kidding.
In the end, if a user is not getting a great product, he will shift, and
there are always alternatives. So let us understand in detail how to
find bugs.

Best Way to Find the Maximum Number of Bugs in
Software
#01 Quick Attacks on Real Browsers and Devices
It’s even hard to imagine a tester doing a quality check system without
any requirements. In the absence of formal requirements, it’s hard to
create test scenarios. In such a situation the best technique is to
attack the system, causing panic in the software by putting wrong
values in the software all this will eventually help to find the problem in
the software.
You can attack the software by doing certain things like leaving a few
required fields blank, disrupting UI workflows, entering numbers when
users are supposed to enter characters, exceeding character limits,
using prohibited characters, and entering an excessive number of
incorrect passwords.
The logic behind these attacks is to perform quick software analyses
in a limited amount of time. They enable the tester to quickly assess

the nature of the software based on the error messages and bugs that
appear.
Even if a single bug appears, it is safe to assume that there are flaws
in the main functionalities. In contrast, the absence of bugs with this
method usually indicates that the happy path functionality is in good
shape.
Remember that these quick attacks must be carried out in real-world
user environments. That means that when someone is testing their
software with unpredictability, they must do so in an environment that
is identical to end-user conditions.
To summarise, you must conduct rapid attacks on the software and
devices. Otherwise, even if an emulator or simulator might detect the
bugs that do not appear on the real device or when using the software
on a real device.
#02 Pay Attention to the Test Environment
Testers typically have time to prepare scenarios, establish timelines,
and establish procedures. This period should also include an
assessment of the test infrastructure, also known as the test
environment. This is due to flaws in the testing environment, causing
unnecessary and entirely avoidable delays in the generation of test
results.
It can also result in the appearance of bugs that aren’t caused by the
software itself.
There are a few things more aggravating than dealing with
setup-related bugs that cannot be fixed with code. Typically, the actual

source of the bug is not immediately identified, resulting in the
aforementioned delay.
Consider the situation of a tester who discovers and reports a bug, but
when the developer examines it, no problems are found in the code.
So, while the developer is frustratedly googling “how to find bugs in
code,” the test cannot proceed because the apparent “bug” cannot be
fixed.
In the event of setup errors, the same test can produce different
results each time. This makes it difficult to reproduce the defect, which
is a developer’s worst nightmare.
#03 Do Your Own Research
Before beginning testing, thoroughly understand the entire application
or module.
Prepare enough Test Data before running tests; this dataset should
include test case conditions and database records if you are testing a
database-related application.
Attempt to determine the resulting pattern and then compare your
results to those patterns.
Insert pointers into your code. I mean a method of finding a block of
code. For example, it could be a printed statement. This makes it easy
to pinpoint the source of the error.
Make use of breakpoints. Stop the code at a specific point to see if
everything is working up to that point.

Whatever problem you are dealing with has been dealt with in some
form before. So research Google it, and you might find a way to deal
with it.
#04 Pareto Principle
According to the Pareto principle, 20% of efforts generate 80% of
results, and the rest, 80%, bring a lower 20%. This principle was
introduced by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto hence the name
Pareto principle.
In software testing, the Pareto Principle means that 80% of all bugs
are present in 20% of program modules, don’t take this number
seriously; the bottom line is that majority of the bugs in the software
are crowded into a specific section of the code, and the majority of the
big errors are present in that section of the code only so take that
section of code.
#05 Set Goals for Software Quality
The tester should be aware of the standard of the software that needs
to be maintained, which gives the tester an idea of what sort of bugs
to look for.
If a tester is wondering about how to find a bug in the software, then
the best way to start is by understanding what users of the software
expect it might in terms of user experience, new features,
functionalities, etc
Proper clarity about goals helps QAs create test scenarios and test
cases accordingly. If the main function, main need, and expectation of

the user from the software are known, then the tester can start testing
those features first that are important to the majority of the users.
So have a talk with the QA manager, and ask the manager for goal
documents.
Do your own research about the same this will help find important
bugs.
11 Most Common Types of Bugs in Software You
Should Know
This part is one of the most crucial ones as you must know as a
developer or software tester; if you know precisely what different types
of bugs software can encounter, you can solve the problem much
faster.
Although automation testing tools like TestGrid automatically test for
bugs in software, you can create a report accordingly, thus automating
the whole process of finding the bug for you.

#01 Functional Error
Regarding functionality, each program should work correctly. However,
as you can understand from the name itself, functionality errors occur
when software does not perform the allocated function.
Functionality errors are a different category of errors ranging from
simple functionalities, such as unclickable buttons, to the inability to
use the software’s main functionality. Functional testing is typically
used to detect functional errors.
For example, the functionality of a ‘save’ button is that changes in the
doc should be saved if you cannot click the button, then it is a
functional error.
With functionality testing, Software testers can discover a more
specific software bug causing the functionality error.
#02 Syntax Errors
These types of software bugs occur in a program’s source code.
One of the most common software bugs is syntax errors, which
prevent your application from being correctly compiled.
This type of problem occurs when your code is missing or contains
incorrect characters.
This software flaw could be caused by a misspelled command or a
missing bracket. Typically, your development team will become aware
of these errors while compiling programs.

#03 Logical Bugs
Logic errors are one type of coding error that can cause your software
to produce incorrect output, crash, or even fail. Logic defects, such as
an infinite loop, are errors in the flow of your software.
The infinite loop occurs due to poorly written or incorrect coding, which
causes the program to malfunction and forces a specific sequence to
repeat forever until the program crashes or some external interruption
occurs, such as closing the program or turning off the power.
Some of the examples of logical error are :
● Incorrectly assigning a value to a variable
● Dividing two numbers instead of adding them together produces
unexpected results.
#04 Performance Errors
Performance defects are another type of software bug related to the
speed of the software, an issuer with the stability of the software, or
response time or resource consumption. Usually, this type of bug is
discovered during the software development process.
Performance error is one of the most common types of software bugs.
This includes software that runs at a slower speed than required or a
response time that is longer than acceptable for the project’s
requirements.
#05 Calculation Error

A calculation error occurs whenever software returns an incorrect
value, whether it is one that the end-user sees or one that is passed to
another program. This could happen for a variety of reasons,
including:
● To compute the value, the software employs the incorrect
algorithm.
● A data type mismatch exists in the calculation.
● For example, the developers incorrectly coded the calculation or
value hand-off to another program.
#06 Security Error
Security flaws are among the most severe types of flaws that a
software developer or software engineering team can encounter. For
example, security flaws differ from other software bugs in exposing
your project to risk.
A security flaw exposes your software, company, and clients to a
severe potential attack. And these attacks can be expensive, for every
business no matter big or small.
Still, some of the most common are encryption errors, SQL injection
susceptibility, XSS vulnerabilities, buffer overflows, logical errors, and
inadequate authentication, among others.
#07 Unit-Level Error
The unit-level software bug is another common type of bug. After your
program has been coded, the developer himself typically performs unit
testing, which involves testing a smaller section of the code as a
whole to ensure that it functions properly.

During this testing process, teams will begin to discover unit-level
bugs, such as calculation errors and basic logic bugs.
These unit-level types of software bugs are easy to isolate and fix
because you are still dealing with a relatively small amount of code.
#08 System-Level Integration Bugs
These errors occur when there is an error in the interaction of two
different subsystems. Because multiple software systems are
involved, often written by different developers, these software bugs
are generally more challenging to fix.
System-level integration bugs occur primarily when two or more units
of codes written by different developers fail to interact with each other
or due to inconsistencies between two or more components. It is
difficult to track and fix these sorts of bugs and requires developers to
go through large chunks of code.
Memory overflow issues and inappropriate interfacing between the
application UI and the database are some examples of system-level
interaction bugs.
#09 Usability Error
A usability defect is the type of error that prevents a user from fully
utilizing the software. This bug makes it difficult or inconvenient to use
a piece of software.
A complex content layout or an overly complicated signup feature are
examples of usability flaws.

During the usability testing phase, software engineers and UX
designers must check their software against the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines and other usability requirements to discover
these types of software bugs.
#10 Control Flow Error
The software control flow describes what will happen next and under
what circumstances.
Errors in the control flow prevent software from progressing to the
following tasks correctly, potentially slowing down the entire
company’s workflow.
A control flow error occurs when a user clicks the “save and next”
button at the end of a questionnaire or a process and is not redirected
to a new page.
Errors, bugs, and mistakes occur everywhere and can cause
significant damage if not identified and corrected quickly, particularly in
the IT industry.
When a single comma is missing, the entire IT product suffers, and we
must focus on detecting and combating bugs.
From the beginning, all IT companies have their own testers who work
long hours with each component of a new software solution to find and
eliminate errors one by one. Keep this in mind when selecting an IT
partner.
#11 Compatibility Errors

Compatibility error occurs when the software or an application is
incompatible with hardware or an operating system. Finding
compatibility errors is not common practice because they may not be
detected during initial testing.
As a result, developers should conduct compatibility testing to ensure
that their software is compatible with common hardware and operating
systems.
Some Examples of Bugs in Software
Software Defects By Severity
● Critical defects typically obstruct an entire system’s or module’s
functionality, and testing cannot continue until such a defect is
fixed. A critical flaw is when an application returns a server error
message after a login attempt.
● High-severity defects affect an application’s key functionality, and
the app behaves in a way that differs significantly from the one
specified in the requirements; for example, an email service
provider does not allow adding more than one email address to
the recipient field.
● When a minor function does not behave as specified in the
requirements, a medium-severity defect is identified. For
example, a broken link in an application’s Terms and Conditions
section is an example of such a flaw.
● Low-severity defects are mostly related to an application’s user
interface and can include things like a slightly different size or
color of a button.
Software Defects By Priority

● Urgent defects must be corrected within 24 hours of being
reported. This category includes defects with a critical severity
status. However, low-severity defects can also be classified as
high-priority. For example, a typo in a company’s name on an
application’s home page has no technical impact on software but
has a significant business impact, hence urgent defects.
● High-priority defects are errors that must be fixed in a future
release to meet the exit criteria. For example, a high-priority
defect would be an application failing to navigate a user from the
login page to the home page despite the user entering valid login
data.
● Medium-priority defects are errors that may be fixed in a
subsequent release or after an upcoming release. A
medium-priority defect is an application that returns the expected
result but formats incorrectly in a specific browser.
● Low-priority defects are errors that do not need to be fixed in
order to meet the exit criteria but must be fixed before an
application is released to the public. This category typically
includes typos, alignment, element size, and other cosmetic UI
issues.
What is the First Thing to do When You Find A Bug In
The Software?
#01 Begin Testing Additional Related Scenarios
Bugs are always part of a colony. When you identify a bug in one
area, it’s relatively common to discover other related issues. So, once
something is discovered, keep looking because you never know what
else you’ll discover.
#02 Note the Current State of the Application

This can also help you determine whether an external issue caused
the bug. Not only do you want to know how to reproduce the problem,
but also the current state of the environment in which you are testing.
#03 Check to See if it has Already Been Reported
Some bugs have already been identified and reported. However, it’s
pointless to redo work that has already been done.
#04 Report It As Soon As Possible
If you discover that the bug has not been reported (see step above),
you must report the issue as soon as possible. Bugs enjoy being
identified and recognized.
Allow them five minutes of fame. When the problem is fresh in your
mind, it’s easier to write a bug report that doesn’t stink. You also want
to shorten the duration of the feedback loop (time between code
creation and validation). This increases the team’s productivity.
#05 Enjoy The Moment
I’ve seen testers become enraged when they discover bugs. They’re
upset because the system is broken.
It’s aggravating when you run into roadblocks. With deadlines looming
and other pressures placed on teams, finding bugs in software may be
the last thing on your mind. It’s much easier when everything just
works, but that’s not your job.

It is your responsibility to find bugs before customers. It is your job to
play the hero and villain. When you find your next bug, thank you for
helping someone.
Steps You Should Follow to Find Software Bugs
The best way to test software for bugs is to do the following:
● Before beginning testing, thoroughly understand the entire
application or module.
● Before beginning testing, create specific test cases. I mean
emphasizing the functional test cases that include the
application’s significant risk.
● Prepare enough Test Data before running tests; this dataset
should include test case conditions as well as database records
if you are testing a database-related application.
● Run the tests again with a different Test Environment.
● Attempt to determine the expected result and then compare your
results to those patterns.
● Once you believe you have completed the majority of the test
conditions and are feeling somewhat tired, perform some
Monkey Testing.
● Analyze the current set of tests using your previous Test Data
pattern.
● Execute some Standard Test Cases for which you discovered
bugs in another application. For example, if you’re testing an
input text box, try inserting some HTML tags as inputs and
seeing what happens on the display page.
● The final and best trick is to work hard to find the bug as if you’re
only testing to break the application.

Bug Finding Tools
Bug-identifying tools are probably the simplest way to find software
bugs. Such tools make it easier to track, report, and assign bugs in
software development, making testing easier. There are several tools
available, such as SpiraTeam, Userback, and ClickUp, that can
accomplish this task and greatly simplify software testing.
Role of Real Devices in Bug Finding
To launch highly successful, efficient, user-friendly software in the
industry, it is essential your software must be thoroughly tested in real
user conditions.
This aids in detecting and resolving the majority of bugs that an
end-user may encounter in the real world.
Extensive testing necessitates a robust device lab that allows testers
to test their web and mobile apps across a wide range of
device-browser-OS combinations.
Keep in mind that establishing a testing lab necessitates a significant
financial investment as well as ongoing maintenance. Naturally, this is
not feasible for all businesses.
Conclusion
With the advancement in technology and growing competition,
software development has become more and more difficult. You must
provide regular updates, add new features, and much more.
Source: This article was originally published at testgrid.io.

Easy & Step-By-Step Ways of Finding Bugs in Software.pdf

Easy & Step-By-Step Ways of Finding Bugs in Software.pdf

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Easy & Step-By-Step Ways of Finding Bugs in Software.pdf