Bug tracking is a methodology used by software developers to collect reports of defects or "bugs" in software programs. Bug tracking allows developers to further refine software design by making continual changes or upgrades to the product in order to better serve the customer base. Programmers authoring software often invite the public to help identify problems. If the program has a nominal following, bug tracking might be accomplished by simply asking users to report any difficulties via email. Bug tracking reports typically include an explanation of the exact nature of the problem, the version of the software in question, and the operating system.

While developers of programs with modest popularity can accomplish "manual" bug tracking via email, it would be a logistical nightmare for developers of more popular or ubiquitous software to attempt this approach. This is where developers can benefit most from bug tracking systems. To facilitate reporting, some highly popular software programs and operating systems incorporate built-in bug reporting. If the program crashes, it will attempt to connect to the Internet to relay an error log to an automated bug tracking system. As this feature might be considered a breech of privacy, it can normally be disabled per the user's choice.

Mozilla, the company behind the very popular Firefox Web browser, has designed free bug tracking software, known as Bugzilla. Mozilla uses Bugzilla for bug tracking of Firefox and other products, but Bugzilla is also available to companies, IT administrators or other interested parties wishing to manage software development. Using a sophisticated bug tracking system like Bugzilla, a user reports a bug by filling out an easy online form. This form might be available on the Internet or within a private network.

Though each bug tracking system differs in features, essentially reported bugs are assigned unique tracking numbers. The bug tracking system prioritizes bugs according to various factors, and categorizes each bug as being of normal, high or critical importance. Bug details are displayed in brief within a tracking table that is available to the programming team and optionally to the public as well. "Enhancements" or "wish list" items can also be included in a bug tracking system. By using the bug tracking interface, one can click on a report number to read more details about a particular bug, add information to the report, or perform other actions such as reclassifying the bug or reporting a fix.

A bug tracking system allows programmers and managers alike to see at a glance where software is failing its customer base, and how the development team is handling those problems. It provides an organized way to facilitate software enhancement procedures and opens a proper, regulated channel to end-users. This encourages bug tracking with minimal human resources invested in the organizational requirements of the process.

Effective bug tracking systems can improve customer satisfaction, raise productivity and reduce downtime. Bug tracking systems can also keep track of coding changes, provide an interface for programmers to work together, and allow for easy management of quality assurance. There are several bug tracking software packages available online. A search engine will reveal many options for nearly any environment and all budgets. Serious software developers and innumerable end-users benefit every day from bug tracking systems.