Software Developer how-to

How to Fix a Bug Systematically

A repeatable process finds bugs faster than guessing.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

A repeatable process finds bugs faster than guessing. In short: reproduce; check; write, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Reproduce the bug and write down the exact steps.

  2. Check logs and error messages.

  3. Write a failing test that shows the bug.

  4. Narrow the cause using a debugger or print statements.

  5. Fix the code and confirm the test passes.

  6. Run the full test suite and open a pull request.

Safety reminders for software developers

  • Protect credentials and never commit secrets to code
  • Follow secure coding practices
  • Use ergonomic setups and take screen breaks
  • Test changes before deploying to production

Source code · Git · Pull request · API · Front end · Back end: see the full software developer glossary.

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