RenoGeek's Computer Terms Glossary - Bug

A "bug" is a error in a program. It may cause programs to quit or act in unintended ways.

As an example, a bug may cause a programs interface not to respond the way it should. A serious bug may cause the computer system it is running on to hang or crash and have to be restarted.

From a programmers view, bugs are logic errors within the source code of a program. These errors often can be fixed using a development tool called a runtime debugger.

But if errors are not fixed before a program is compiled into the final form, the bugs will be noticed by end users.

Most programs go through alot of testing before they are released to the public. One method used to catch these bugs is to use "beta testers" to try the program out and catch any "bugs" before the program is released to the general public.

Return to RenoGeek's Computer Terms Glossary.