Bug Triage

General Overview

Most open source software development projects incorporate an open bug repository that allows both developers and users to post problems encountered with the software, suggest possible enhancements, and comment upon existing bug reports. One potential advantage of an open bug repository is that it may allow more bugs to be identified and solved, improving the quality of the software produced.

However, this potential advantage also comes with a significant cost. Each bug that is reported must be triaged to determine if it describes a meaningful new problem or enhancement, and if it does, it must be assigned to an appropriate developer for further handling.

We seek to improve the bug triage process by understanding the triage process and creating tools that support triagers in making their decisions about bug reports. The various subprojects that we are working on are:

• Bug Report Assignment
• Duplicate Detection

Our work as been published at a number of venues. See our publications listing below.

• Publications

Bug Report Assignment

Overview

As a means of reducing the time spent triaging and improving the triage process, we are developing and validating a machine-learning approach for semi-automating one part of the process: the assignment of a developer to a newly received report.

For more information about this subproject, contact John Anvik

Duplicate Detection

Overview

to be written - Lyndon

Publications

• Coping with Bug Repositories, eTx Workshop at OOPSLA 2005.
• Who Should Fix This Bug?, ICSE 2006.