Developers spend countless hours testing software to uncover defects that could later harm the software’s quality. These flaws might be as basic as an unresponsive button, or they can be severe enough to render the entire software unresponsive. In both cases, the user experience will be impacted, resulting in monetary losses for the organization. Given this fact, software testing has become an essential component of every SDLC. This article will explain the various types of bugs that can occur during software testing and software bug examples.
Types Of Software Bugs
Here are the most typical sorts of software bugs or flaws found during software testing, so developers and testers can better deal with them.
1. Functional bugs
Functional bugs affect the functionality of a given software component. A functional bug is defined as any component of an app or website that does not work as planned.
Such flaws are frequently discovered when testers undertake extensive functional testing for their apps or websites in real-world scenarios. Teams must ensure that all functional defects are handled early on to prevent poor user experiences in the production environment.
For example, a login button that does not let users login, an Add to Cart button that does not update the cart, a search box that does not respond to a user query, and so on.
2. Logical Bugs
A logical bug interrupts the planned workflow of software, causing it to operate erroneously. These flaws can cause unexpected software behavior and even sudden crashes. Logical bugs are primarily caused by faulty coding or a misreading of business logic.
Examples of logical bugs include:
- Setting a value to the incorrect variable.
- Dividing two integers rather than adding them together produces unexpected results.
3. Workflow Bugs
Workflow defects are related to the user journey (navigation) of a software program. Consider a website that requires a user to fill out a form about their medical history. After completing out the form, the user is presented with three options:
- Save
- Save and Exit
- Previous Page
When the user selects “Save and Exit” from the available options, he or she means to save the entered information before exiting. However, if pressing the Save and Exit button results in an exit from the form without saving the information, it causes a workflow bug.
4. Unit-Level Bugs
Unit-level issues are quite common and are usually easy to fix. Once the initial modules of software components have been created, engineers do unit testing to check that the small batches of code work as planned. This is where developers meet various issues that are neglected during the development process. Unit-level bugs are easier to isolate because developers work with a small amount of code. Furthermore, reproducing these vulnerabilities takes less effort, allowing engineers to quickly identify and remedy the exact bug.
For example, if a developer writes a single-page form, a unit test will ensure that all of the input fields accept sufficient inputs and that the buttons function properly. When a field does not accept the correct characters or integers, developers receive a unit-level error.
5. System-Level Integration Issues
System-level integration issues typically appear when two or more pieces of code authored by different developers fail to interact with one another. These issues are primarily caused by inconsistencies or incompatibilities between two or more components. Such issues are tough to identify and correct since engineers must analyze a greater portion of code.
They are also time-consuming to replicate. Memory overflows and improper interfaces between the application UI and the database are two common instances of system-level integration faults.
For example, an online booking system connects with a variety of third-party service providers (such as airlines and hotels). If one of the service providers has severe latency or timeouts, the entire booking process may fail, leaving incomplete bookings or inaccurate availability information.
6. Out-of-Bound Bugs
Out of Bounds Bugs appear when the system user interacts with the UI in an undesired way. These bugs occur when an end-user submits a value or parameter that exceeds the scope of inappropriate usage.
For example, inputting a much higher or smaller integer or entering an input value with an unknown data type. These issues frequently appear in form validations during functional testing of web or mobile apps.
7. Security Issues
Security is an important topic in software development. Security flaws are a significant risk to users and should be addressed carefully and resolved. Security issues are among the most sensitive problems of all categories, and they should be handled with criticality and urgency.
These vulnerabilities may not interfere with functioning, but they have the potential to compromise the entire system. These should be thoroughly inspected at regular intervals.
A common example is SQL injection, in which an attacker manipulates a database query to gain unauthorized access.
8. Performance Bugs
Performance problems occur when a software application fails to achieve expected performance metrics, such as load times, response times, or throughput. These issues can dramatically impair the user experience, particularly in high-traffic or resource-intensive contexts.
For example, an e-commerce website encounters a performance problem in which the page load time, for example, is 5 seconds during peak traffic hours, generating customer irritation and resulting in a high desertion rate.
9. Compatibility Bugs
Compatibility problems occur when a software application fails to perform properly in diverse contexts, devices, or platforms. These issues might cause uneven user experiences and limited accessibility.
For example, mobile software works fine on Android devices but crashes or shows erroneously on some iOS devices, resulting in a compatibility issue that affects a large section of the user base.
10. Usability Bugs
Usability flaws degrade the overall user experience by making it difficult or confusing for users to interact with the product. These issues may not always prevent functionality, but they can lead to lower user satisfaction and higher user error rates.
For example, a web application’s complex navigation structure makes it difficult for users to find critical functions, resulting in a usability flaw that irritates users and diminishes engagement.
Software Bugs Examples in Software Testing
It is important to note that software testing is extremely effective in resolving many of the vulnerabilities stated above. The following are some samples of each sort of bug in software testing.
- Syntax errors: This can cause the program to behave unexpectedly and prevent it from compiling. One such example is provided here to help you better understand this error type. Because there is no bracket at the end of the closing statement in this situation, the code cannot be run. The closing bracket will be applied to correct the situation, as seen in the figure below.
Int x = 10;
If (x == 10)
{
Cout << ‘x is equal to 10’;
}
Else
{
Cout << ‘x is not equal to 10’;
Because there is no bracket at the end of the closing statement in this situation, the code cannot be run. The closing bracket will be applied to correct the situation, as seen in the figure below.
Int x = 10;
If (x == 10) {
Cout << ‘x is equal to 10’;
}
Else {
Cout << ‘x is not equal to 10’;
}
- Logic Errors: These errors could lead the software to return an inaccurate or unexpected result. It’s similar to ordering coffee when you prefer green tea in real life. To demonstrate, consider the following scenario:
a = 100
while a < 10;
a = a + 1
print a
The code looks clean, but the loop would not be executed as the initial value of an is 100.
- Runtime Errors: These flaws must be corrected while the code is being written in order to avoid program crashes. For example, software that computes the average of a set of numbers is being tested. Assume this program makes a divide-by-zero error or encounters a boundary issue that prevents it from including an element that should have been included. In these cases, the program will return a runtime error.
- Memory Errors: These mistakes occur when a program tries to access a region of the computer’s memory that it is not supposed to. Sensitive information may leak as a result of these blunders. The ‘buffer overflow error’ clearly demonstrates memory difficulties. For example, when the program attempts to write data to a temporary storage buffer that cannot accept it. If this scenario is not handled appropriately, it may result in program overwriting in neighboring memory, causing unexpected behavior. To prevent these issues, developers use bounds checking, input validation, and ongoing code review.
Conclusion
In today’s software-driven world, bugs can affect everything from user satisfaction to corporate operations. Understanding and eliminating common software defects is crucial; more than just maintaining code, it’s about securing your company’s future.
If bugs in software are not handled appropriately, it may result in program overwriting in neighboring memory, causing unexpected behavior. To prevent these issues, developers use bounds checking, input validation, and ongoing code review.