How to Write Bug Reports That Don’t Suck

Let’s be real - writing bug reports often feels like a chore. But doing it poorly doesn’t just annoy developers - it slows the whole team down and can leave critical bugs unresolved.

This post will help you write bug reports that actually get read, understood, and fixed.

What Is a Bug Report?

A bug report isn’t just a note that “something is broken.”

It’s a communication tool - one that connects the person who found the issue (you) with the person who can fix it (usually a developer).

If that message is unclear or incomplete, the bug might:

• Never get fixed
• Waste everyone’s time
• Or worse - break production

Why Bad Bug Reports Hurt

A bad bug report causes:

• Vague, frustrating developer replies (“It works on my machine.”)
• Delays in the QA/dev cycle
• Testers having to redo work
• Bugs being silently ignored

Example of a bad bug title:

“Login doesn’t work”
Okay, but… what does that mean?

• Does it crash?
• Are credentials rejected?
• Is the login button disabled?

What Makes a Good Bug Report?

A good bug report is:

• Clear: Easy to read and understand
• Reproducible: Has exact steps to trigger the issue
• Focused: No fluff, no guesswork

It should answer:

1. What happened?
2. Where did it happen?
3. What did you expect to happen?
4. What actually happened?
5. Can it be reproduced, and how?

Structure of a Solid Bug Report

• Title: Descriptive and specific
  e.g., “Login fails with valid credentials on Firefox 118”

• Steps to Reproduce:

  1. Go to login page
  2. Enter valid credentials
  3. Click Login

• Expected Result: User is logged in and redirected to dashboard

• Actual Result: Error message “Invalid password” is shown, despite correct credentials

• Environment: Firefox 118, Windows 11, Staging environment

• Attachments: Screenshot, video, console logs - anything that helps

Tips for Writing Bug Reports That Don’t Suck

• Be precise: Don’t say “something’s off” - say what’s off
• Reproduce it yourself before reporting it
• Avoid assuming, describe what you saw, not what you think caused it
• Use short sentences and bullet points
• Add context when needed (but skip the essay)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing a vague title
• Skipping reproduction steps
• Reporting multiple bugs in one report
• Using emotion (“this is terrible” doesn’t help)
• Assuming the dev knows what you mean

Final Thoughts

Your bug report is the bridge between you and the dev. If the bridge is full of holes, guess what? Bugs fall through.

A clear, simple bug report saves time, earns respect, and makes you look like a pro.

And if you want to see real-world examples and get a free downloadable bug report template, check out the course.
It’s short. Filled with years of experience.
And it doesn’t suck!

You’re welcome!