Bug tracking software, or also known as issue tracking software, is designed to help programmers keep track of bugs that have been reported in their work. Some types of software allow users to directly enter their bug reports. The systems which are typically used internally at a company are integrated with other software and managed by the IT staff. This type of software has proven to be very valuable for software developers, and is used extensively by individuals developing software. A database is a key component in this type of software. It will include the time the bug was reported how severe it was and the kind of behavior it caused.

Typical bug tracking software will track the status of a bug throughout its life cycle. This type of software typically allows administrators to specifically configure certain permissions based on the status of the bug. They may also be allowed to delete the bug entirely. Certain types of software will send out e-mail to those individuals interested in the status of the software afflicted by the bug. This enables the interested parties to keep detailed records regarding the status of the bug and any changes to its behavior or the software is affecting.

Corporations will often use bug-tracking software to gauge the productivity of their programmers and how competent they are at fixing bugs. Bugs differ in their levels of complexity and severity and that does not always equal the amount of effort it takes to fix the bug. This is an area where programmers and administrators may not see eye to eye. The information provided by the software is indispensable to programmers who are looking for ways to improve their software and avoid potential problems in the future. Understanding what caused the bug in the first place can help them prevent future software from suffering the same problems.

Certain types of bug tracking software such as ones that are used with distributed revision control, make it possible to read, distribute, and add to the bug reports. This is not typical of all software and is often found in corporate environments where similar software will be developed by different teams of programmers. The sharing of information enables everyone to avoid the same mistakes. For developers this software has become an indispensable tool of the trade. The overall result is software that is more reliable and performs consistently without crashing or other fatal flaws.