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Module: Technical discussion

Discussing bugs and fixes

This document outlines best practices for discussing bugs and fixes, geared towards software professionals. It covers reporting, triaging, discussing solutions, and documenting fixes.

I. Bug Reporting – The Initial Report

A good bug report iscritical. It saves time and reduces frustration.

Bug Report Template

Bug Report – [Component / Module]
  • Reported By:[Your Name / Username]
  • Date:[YYYY-MM-DD]
  • Priority:High / Medium / Low
  • Severity:Critical / Major / Minor / Trivial
  • Version:Software version or commit hash
Summary

One-sentence description of the bug.

Steps to Reproduce
  1. Step 1 – Be precise
  2. Step 2 – Include specific data if needed
  3. Step 3 – Continue until the bug occurs
Expected Result

Describe what should happen.

Actual Result

Describe what actually happens, including error messages.

Screenshots / Videos

Attach screenshots or screen recordings highlighting the issue.

Environment
  • Operating System:Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Browser:Chrome, Firefox, Safari (if applicable)
  • Hardware:CPU, RAM, GPU (if relevant)
  • Other:Database version, network configuration
Relevant Logs

Include log snippets using code blocks if necessary.

II. Triaging & Discussion – Initial Assessment

Once reported, bugs must be triaged to determine impact, ownership, and next steps.

  • Assigned To:Triage engineer
  • Status:Open / In Progress / Needs Info / Duplicate

Initial Assessment

  • Is the bug reproducible?
  • What is the potential root cause?
  • How many users are impacted?

Questions for the Reporter

  • Can you confirm the exact steps taken?
  • Does the issue occur consistently?

Discussion Principles

  • Be respectful and professional
  • Ask clarifying questions
  • Confirm reproducibility first
  • Avoid premature optimization

III. Discussing Solutions & Implementation

Proposed Solution

Describe the fix and how it resolves the issue.

Implementation Details

  • Files Affected:List modified files
  • Approach:Explain the technical solution
  • Potential Risks:Note possible side effects
  • Testing Plan:Unit, integration, or manual testing

Alternatives Considered

  • Alternative approach 1 (and why it was rejected)
  • Alternative approach 2

Code Example

# Before (Buggy Code)
def get_value(data, index):
    return data[index]

# After (Fixed Code)
def get_value(data, index):
    if 0 <= index < len(data):
        return data[index]
    return None

Implementation Best Practices

  • All fixes must be code-reviewed
  • Add unit tests to prevent regressions
  • Run integration tests when applicable

IV. Documenting the Fix

Commit Message Example

Fix: Prevent IndexError in get_value()

Added bounds checking to prevent invalid index access.
Included unit test to validate fix.

Fixes #123

Release Notes Example

Version 2.3.2 – Bug Fixes
  • Fixed an issue where accessing invalid data caused an application crash.

Documentation Guidelines

  • Be clear and concise
  • Reference the original bug report
  • Explain user impact
  • Follow consistent formatting

Clear communication and proper documentation are essential for an efficient and collaborative bug-fixing process.