How to Create a Bug Report Template [With Example Templates]

What is a Bug Report Template?

A bug report template is a predefined structure used by testers to document software defects in a consistent, detailed, and easy-to-understand format. It helps capture all the critical information developers need to reproduce, investigate, and fix an issue without unnecessary back-and-forth communication.

At its core, the template serves as a communication bridge between testers and developers. By following a clear structure, it ensures that no key details are missed, such as environment, steps to reproduce, expected versus actual results, and supporting evidence like screenshots or logs.

A well-defined bug report template also helps maintain quality across testing teams. It allows project managers to track issues more effectively, prioritize them based on impact, and ensure timely resolutions. This consistency is especially important in large teams or distributed environments where clarity and traceability are essential for smooth collaboration.

Why Bug Report Templates are Essential for Software Development

Without a clear bug report structure, defects often lack context, making it harder for developers to understand and reproduce issues. This can lead to unnecessary delays, repeated clarification requests, and wasted effort across teams. A structured template removes ambiguity and ensures every defect is documented with the same level of precision.

Here are the main reasons why bug report templates are essential in software development:

• Consistency across reports: A uniform template ensures that every bug report includes the same key details, making it easier for developers to identify patterns or recurring issues.
• Improved communication: It creates a common language between testers and developers, reducing misunderstandings and ensuring faster turnaround times.
• Faster debugging and resolution: When a report includes clear reproduction steps and environment details, developers can identify root causes quickly.
• Efficient prioritization: Templates make it easier to classify bugs based on severity, frequency, and impact, helping product teams decide what to fix first.
• Better traceability: Well-structured reports allow project managers to track issues throughout the defect life cycle and measure testing efficiency.
• Higher product quality: Consistent and detailed reporting ensures fewer missed defects, leading to more stable releases and better user experience.

Key Components of Bug Report Templates

A well-designed bug report template ensures that every defect is documented with the context developers need to replicate and resolve it efficiently. Each component in the template serves a clear purpose: improving traceability, communication, and overall testing efficiency.

Below are the essential components of a detailed and effective bug report template:

1. Bug ID: A unique identifier generated automatically by the bug tracking tool. It prevents duplication, allows easy cross-referencing in discussions, and helps teams filter or search for specific issues across releases or modules.
2. Title or Summary: A brief but specific description that instantly tells what the problem is and where it occurs. A good summary combines clarity and context. For example, “Submit button not working on checkout page in Chrome 120.” This helps developers quickly scan through bug lists and identify relevant issues.
3. Description: A concise overview that explains the defect in plain terms. It should mention what went wrong, when it occurs, and under what circumstances. A detailed description provides narrative context that complements the technical data in other fields.
4. Steps to Reproduce: A structured, step-by-step sequence that allows developers to experience the defect exactly as the tester did. Each step should be specific and ordered.
5. Expected Result: Describes the intended or correct behavior of the application after following the given steps. It sets a clear benchmark for what should happen once the issue is fixed.
6. Actual Result: States what actually happens in the application. It should be specific enough to highlight the deviation from the expected outcome, such as “The page refreshes but no confirmation message appears.”
7. Environment Details: Lists all the contextual variables that may influence the issue, including operating system, browser version, device type, app version, and test environment. These details help isolate environment-specific defects.
8. Severity and Priority: Defines how serious the defect is (severity) and how urgently it should be addressed (priority). For example, a crash in a core feature is a critical severity, high priority issue, while a minor UI misalignment might be low severity, low priority.
9. Attachments or Evidence: Includes screenshots, logs, console outputs, or short screen recordings that visually support the bug report. Visual evidence saves developers time by reducing the need for clarification.
10. Reporter Information: Identifies who reported the bug, when it was logged, and any relevant team or project references. This ensures accountability and provides a point of contact for clarification.
11. Status and Assignment: Tracks the current state of the defect such as New, In Progress, Fixed, or Closed, along with the name of the developer or team assigned. This promotes transparency and clear ownership throughout the defect life cycle.

How to Write an Effective Bug Report

Here is a structured approach testers and developers can follow to create bug reports that are clear, actionable and reproducible:

Step 1: Prepare the context

Start by gathering all relevant environment information – operating system, browser version, device type, application version, and any special configurations or user accounts involved. This foundation ensures the issue can be understood and reproduced under the same conditions.

Step 2: Document the steps to reproduce

Number each action that leads up to the defect and be specific (for example: “1. Log in as user X. 2. Navigate to Settings → Privacy. 3. Click ‘Save Changes’ without modifying any field.”). Clear steps reduce ambiguity and support efficient replication.

Step 3: Describe expected vs actual results

State what the system should do after following the steps, and then describe precisely what it did instead. For example: Expected result: “Confirmation message appears and settings are updated.” Actual result: “No confirmation appears; the settings revert to previous state.” Such a contrast makes the defect’s deviation obvious.

Step 4: Capture evidence

Attach supporting materials including screenshots, screen recordings, logs (console output, network requests, error messages), and anything else that shows how the bug manifested. These help developers diagnose the root cause faster.

Step 5: Assign severity, priority and status

Indicate how serious the bug is (for example, blocking a critical workflow vs minor UI issue), how quickly it should be addressed, and update the current status (e.g., New, In Progress, Fixed). This adds context for triage and tracking.

Step 6: Use a consistent template

Make sure every bug report uses the same format so that reviewers know where to look for information. Consistency reduces the effort spent in decoding differing formats and improves overall efficiency.

If you’re looking to streamline your bug-reporting process further, consider using the BrowserStack Bug Capture tool. It enables users to record screen sessions with logs and metadata automatically, so even non-technical testers can generate rich bug reports with one click. 

BrowserStack Bug Capture integrates into common workflows (such as Jira or GitHub), captures console/network logs automatically, and significantly reduces back-and-forth between testers and developers by bundling everything needed for reproduction.

Bug Report Template Examples

A good bug report template provides structure and consistency while allowing flexibility for different tools and team workflows. Below are practical examples of how bug report templates can be structured in commonly used platforms.

1. Jira Bug Report Template

Jira is one of the most widely used tools for defect tracking because of its flexibility and integration options. It allows teams to customize issue fields and workflows according to project requirements. A clear Jira bug report template helps maintain consistency and ensures that every issue logged contains all necessary information for developers to act on quickly.

Here is a sample structure that teams can use when creating a Jira issue for a defect:

This structured format ensures that the bug report is both complete and easy to navigate. It also allows Jira automation rules, such as assigning by component or tagging by priority to work more effectively, improving the overall defect management process.

2. GitHub Issue Template

GitHub Issues is commonly used for tracking bugs in open-source and collaborative projects. It supports Markdown-based templates that guide contributors to provide essential details consistently. A well-designed template helps prevent vague reports and reduces follow-up questions from maintainers.

Here is a structured GitHub bug report template example:

3. Trello Bug Tracking Template

Trello uses cards and lists to manage tasks, making it a lightweight yet effective option for smaller QA teams or agile projects. A Trello bug tracking template focuses on clarity within each card so defects can be sorted, prioritized, and moved through workflow stages such as To Do, In Progress, and Resolved.

Here is a sample Trello bug report structure:

4. Asana Bug Report Template

Asana is a project management tool designed for organized, collaborative workflows. It helps QA and development teams align on bug resolution by assigning clear ownership, tracking progress, and setting due dates within a structured system. 

Since Asana integrates seamlessly with multiple testing and communication tools, using a bug report template ensures consistency and prevents critical details from being missed when logging issues.

Below is a sample Asana bug Template that can be customized for any software project:

5. ClickUp Bug Tracking Template

ClickUp is a productivity and task management tool known for its flexibility and advanced reporting features. It allows QA and development teams to log, organize, and automate bug tracking within a unified workspace. ClickUp’s customizable fields and automation options make it ideal for teams that want detailed traceability and real-time progress tracking.

Below is a sample ClickUp Bug Report Template that fits agile and cross-functional workflows:

Common Bug Report Template Mistakes

Even the best templates can lose their effectiveness if used incorrectly. Poorly filled reports, missing details, or inconsistent formats often create unnecessary friction between QA and development teams. These issues slow down debugging and lead to repeated back-and-forth communication.

Below are some of the most common mistakes teams make when using bug report templates and how they impact software quality:

• Lack of reproduction steps: Without clear, ordered steps to recreate the issue, developers waste time trying to guess the scenario. Every report should provide a reproducible sequence from start to finish.
• Vague descriptions: Phrases like “app not working” or “page crashed” provide no actionable context. Descriptions must specify what was done, what was expected, and what actually happened.
• Missing environment details: Omitting platform, browser, or version information can make replication impossible, especially when bugs appear only under specific configurations.
• Incorrect severity or priority levels: Misjudging severity leads to resource misallocation. For example, labeling a UI glitch as critical may delay truly blocking issues.
• No supporting evidence: Screenshots, console logs, or screen recordings give developers visual proof of the problem. Missing evidence often results in follow-up requests that slow resolution.
• Unclear ownership: Failing to assign a clear reporter or assignee makes tracking accountability difficult and can cause bugs to remain unresolved longer than necessary.
• Incomplete status updates: Neglecting to update the status field leads to confusion about progress. It becomes unclear whether an issue is new, in progress, or verified.

Bug Report Template Best Practices

A well-structured bug report template helps testers and developers maintain consistency and clarity in documentation. When used effectively, it minimizes communication gaps and accelerates resolution time.

Below are the best practices that improve the quality and effectiveness of bug reporting templates:

• Use clear and concise titles: Every bug entry should begin with a brief, descriptive title that highlights the main issue. A strong title helps developers quickly identify the nature of the defect. For example, “App freezes when adding items to cart after timeout.”
• Include reproducible steps: Steps to reproduce should be detailed enough for anyone to follow. Each step must clearly describe what to do, where to click, and what to expect, ensuring that the issue can be recreated reliably.
• Specify expected and actual results: Always include what the system should do versus what it actually does. This contrast makes debugging faster and prevents assumptions about the intended functionality.
• Add environment details: Mention the device, browser, operating system, and build version. A defect might only occur in specific configurations, and including these details saves time during root cause analysis.
• Attach relevant evidence: Screenshots, screen recordings, or logs make the bug easier to visualize. Visual evidence reduces back-and-forth communication between testers and developers.
• Tag severity and priority: Use standardized definitions for both. Severity helps describe the impact on functionality, while priority determines how urgently the issue needs to be resolved.
• Avoid subjective descriptions: Phrases like “it’s not working properly” or “looks weird” lack clarity. Instead, describe the exact behavior observed, such as “the button does not trigger navigation to the next page.”

Conclusion

A structured bug report template ensures all necessary details are captured and accelerates bug resolution. Clear titles, reproducible steps, environment info, and supporting evidence improve consistency and reduce time spent on incomplete reports.

BrowserStack Bug Capture streamlines reporting by automatically collecting logs, recordings, and environment data. Integrated with Jira, GitHub, Trello, and Asana, it delivers actionable reports that reduce manual effort and help teams resolve bugs faster.