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What is a software bug?

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Quick answer

A software bug is an error or flaw in a program that makes it behave incorrectly or crash. Bugs range from tiny typos to deep logic mistakes, and finding and fixing them — 'debugging' — is a core part of building software.

Key things to understand

  1. It's an error that makes software misbehave.
  2. Causes range from typos to flawed logic.
  3. Fixing them is called debugging.
  4. The term dates to a real moth found in an early computer.

People also ask

What is a software bug?
A mistake in a program's code that causes it to behave incorrectly, produce wrong results, or crash.
Why is it called a 'bug'?
Famously, an early computer fault was traced to a real moth; the term for glitches stuck.
How are bugs fixed?
Through debugging — reproducing the problem, locating the faulty code, and correcting it.