The Best Bug Tracking Software for 2015

Computer viruses may be the bane of your existence — and if you’re into software like we are, you want them eliminated. Luckily, there are many kinds of bug tracking software vendors to handle those pesky bugs. The challenge is to find the best one that fits your business. To help you, Business-Software.com has made a list of the best bug tracking software for 2015.
 

What Is Bug Tracking Software?

Bug tracking (or defect tracking) software works the same way as when we go to the doctor to get a check-up. First, your computer system shows signs of a virus, whether it be a decrease in performance or speed or a lack of response to your commands. Implementing your bug tracking software will allow the program to assess all damage and evaluate the corrupted files that caused the problems. From there, the software will identify and eliminate the file in much the same way that painkillers target your headache pain. The program will also keep a log of the issue and report the virus so that it can be taken care of should the issue appear again.

This list sums up the core activities that a bug tracking tool performs:

1. Identifying and finding corrupted files in your system.
2. Assigning a course of action to eliminate the bug.
3. Storing the history, work log and comments associated with the bug.
4. Reporting with information about the bug, environment, module, severity, screenshots, and more.
5. Storage and retrieval – provides an identity to the bug that can be used to store, search and organize bug information.

Here are the key features of some of the most popular bug-tracking software vendors this year:
 

TechExcel DevTrack

TechExcel DevTrack is an issue, bug and defect tracking software platform that is known to work with virtually any type of process and development method. The program can send out bug reports as users interact with an app in development. After the report is submitted, the system routes the issue to the appropriate parties and sends out email notifications as well. DevTrack provides visibility of all open reports and identifies issues that are open too long and past due. Additionally, admin staff can control what each individual user sees, and users can assign tasks to one another.

Other Key Features

• Automatically route issues
• Create and assign sub-tasks to help track and resolve work items
• Secure, personalized web portal where beta customers can submit, track and update issues
• Integrated knowledge base and document management
• Out-of-the-box integration with 20+ SCM tools

Bugzilla

Bugzilla is a bug tracking software platform known for being the “original” software used by Mozilla. The platform comes with a multitude of features such as integrated email capabilities, editable user profiles, permission systems and an easy-to-view database structure. Bugzilla also has an advanced reporting system that gives users a detailed glimpse into their bug database using line graphs, pie charts, spreadsheets, tables and bar graphs.

Other Key Features

• Free to download
• Open source bug tracking
• Advanced search capabilities
• Bug lists available in multiple formats including Atom, iCalendar and CSV
• Automatic duplicate bug detection

Atlassian JIRA

Atlassian JIRA is ideal for development teams who are planning, constructing and launching their own products. JIRA tracks everything from bugs and features to action items and stories. The product integrates Agile project management practices, providing Scrum or Kanban boards when creating a new project. In addition, JIRA’s platform is flexible, customizable and very easy to use.

Other Key Features

• Collaboration tools include mentions and assignment features
• View code changes, track progress and navigate between issues
• Link every comment with a bug or development task
• Build and release management
• Import issues and projects from most bug trackers

Trac

Trac is a wiki and issue tracking system for software development projects that uses a minimalist-style approach to project management. Trac allows wiki markup in issue descriptions to create links and references between bugs, tasks, files and wiki pages. The software comes with a timeline that shows all current and past project events in order. In addition, Trac comes with a roadmap that shows future tasks and upcoming milestones.

Other Key Features

• Free to download
• Ticket system manages bugs, issues, feature requests and ideas
• Progress roadmap views
• Database backups
• Built-in documentation server with shared editing

Exceptional

Exceptional helps developers build apps through its detailed reports on errors, bugs, exceptions and issues. Using one dashboard, users can conveniently control all the tools necessary to identify, track and eliminate bugs in your system. In addition, the software groups and detects duplicates to prevent cluttered emails and requests as well as keep your system organized. Finally, Exceptional allows users to view trends, similar errors and reoccurring issues throughout time, as well as being third-party integrable.

Other Key Features

• Issue tracking and error and exception handling
• Reports include details on frequency, time of occurrence and code involved
• Uptime monitoring
• Supports 18 programming languages including PHP, Python, Java, .net and Ruby
• Integrates with GitHub, Campfire, JIRA, Lighthouse and more

IBM Rational ClearQuest

IBM Rational Clearquest can help businesses provide complete control and visibility over their software development lifecycle. During development, the program uses workflows to route information to key developers and users. The system also takes bug reports and sends them to coders, tracks all defects in an application, sends out approval requests and monitors all changes made in the code. Users have full visibility over all open projects and can generate reports on them to gain key performance insights. Lastly, Clearquest can enforce compliance with a number of user-defined guidelines, and users can easily scale their installations across an enterprise.

Other Key Features

• Real-time dashboards
• Define and manage changes to software assets
• Comprehensive support for querying, charting and reporting
• Integrated analysis, development, testing and deployment
• Built-in change tracking capabilities

Time for Action

Hopefully, this list will serve as a great starting point for finding tools to solve your virus and malware issues. To get more information, check out our Top 10 Defect Tracking Report for a more comprehensive overview of bug tracking systems.

[Photo courtesy of Jan Vašek.]