The Big Myth of Bug-Free Software

Martin Průcha, 21. 06. 2024

As a software developer, you keep encountering this enormous pressure. It can affect your career. It’s something that is expected from a professional. It’s a request that seems logical from someone uninformed.

Everyone wants it;

The client wants it.

Your manager wants it.

Your reputation desires it.

But does it actually exist? Is there such a thing as bug-free software?

Origin of Bugs

A software bug is any error in a program that leads to incorrect or unexpected results. It is widely believed that the term “bug” in computer software originated in 1947 when Harvard’s Computation Laboratory found a moth causing an error in the Mark II computer. They taped the moth to the logbook, which still exists today.

But that’s not true! The term “bug” was already in common use in engineering since the 19th century. The incident was just recorded because it was the first bug caused by an actual insect.

The word “bug” is short for “bugbear” or “bugaboo” – a scary creature.

Unsurprising? Well, (some) engineers (sometimes) try to blame the faults on mystic creatures up until now…

Avoiding All Errors? Impossible!

Even the largest software companies have to deal with bugs.

(Just think about it; how long has it been since you last cursed over a software update of your PC or phone?)

These companies approach it as a norm and create dedicated sites for unhappy users to report bugs. It may be annoying but it’s the right thing to do; giving feedback should lead to better software.

So, why is nothing working exactly as it’s supposed to?

The answer lies in the complexity of any software:

Human Error: Even the most experienced developers aren’t immune to goof-ups or missing the odd glitch. Miscommunication between teams and individuals may also lead to errors.
Evolution: Developing software is an evolutionary process. It changes drastically in each phase of its lifecycle. A bug can arise with every update.
Architecture: Every software consists of multiple integration layers – databases, UI, applications, APIs, or others. All these functionalities can bring obstacles and bugs.
Money: Limited budgets and tight deadlines often compromise quality.
Compatibility: Ensuring consistent performance across all devices and operating systems is difficult.
Expectations: Sometimes the customers end up using the software for a different purpose than intended. And they become surprised that it’s not doing what they want and call it a bug.

Just Do Your Best

Completely bug-free software is an impossibility. Also, finding all bugs is impossible! Everyone who wants to deal with software must deal with this too (including customers).

As simple as that.

However, at the end of this article, here are a few tips on how to minimize the presence of bugs:

Hire Top Talent: Skilled and motivated team members are crucial. Stop thinking that only developers are responsible for fixing bugs; everyone involved in the software development (testers, project managers, end-users…) can contribute to identifying flaws.
Test, Test, and Test: Frequent testing in all development phases is crucial. Also, testable software is essential – creating software that is easy to test should be one of the priorities.
Code Reviews: Developers should check other developers. Two heads are better than one.
User Support: Make a site for customers’ feedback (just like the big companies). Create FAQ, software documentation, and Help pages to help users understand your product and address issues.
Advocate for Quality: Foster a culture where quality is everyone’s responsibility. Collaboration and communication help with preventing bugs.
Continuous Improvement: Don’t let your product sleep. Make updates and react to feedback. Create regular service packs.
Post-Mortem: Reflect with your team on what went wrong, step by step. But don’t blame anyone specifically – the goal is to find process failures, not personal failures.