Bug Tracker Handbook

Chapter 1 Introduction

Table of Contents

1.1 What is Bug Tracker

1.2 Features

1.3 History of Bug Tracker

1.4 Who uses Bug Tracker

1.1 What is Bug Tracker

Bug Tracker is a PHP web based bug tracking system. It helps you manage software development. It uses a database to store issues to be done, bugs to be fixed, and features to be added.

Most people are just like me, have limit bug-storing slots in their brains. It's easy to remember one or two issues. However, old issue will be swapped out when new one received. With a bug tracking system, bugs can be managed easier. All software development history can be stored in the database for future reference. Keeping a database of bugs is essential for a good software developing team.

Bug Tracker has two user interfaces. One is for internal developing team. The other is for customers or end users to report their feedback. It has flexible user/group permission management, database search/filter functions, FAQ and document management, and more. Please refer to the rest of this document.

1.2 Features

• VERY VERY VERY easy to install
• Easy to use
• Comprehensive permission system
• Email notice when report updated
• Customer feedback interface
• Anonymous feedback interface
• Search/filter on each field
• FAQ/Document management system
• System log, usage statistic
• UTF-8 support
• Multi-language user interface
• Upload attachment
• HTML editor in text area
• Support PostgreSQL and MySQL
• Support sending email through SMTP server that requires authentication

The Bug Tracker is a high performance application. It has been well tested. After tested its capacity on AMD 1G Hz CPU and 256 MB RAM machine running FreeBSD 5.3, we found that when there are 1000 users, 10000 anonymous users, 10000 reports, 10000 documents, and 10000 FAQ, the system is still very smooth.

1.3 History of Bug Tracker

The Bug Tracker is developed by Wang, Chun-Pin (Alex Wang). He had developed a tracking system and customer feedback system for Synology Inc. It was the first version of Bug Tracker. The system Synology was using is relatively simple, not well organized, and has many Synology specified functions. The system has been run more than 3 years until now.

After Alex left the Synology at the first time, he gave himself a long vacation to develop his own projects. He developed a FTP daemon and intended to open source. He needs a bug tracking system. The system he developed for Synology is copyrighted and has many drawbacks. He wanted to re-write a tracking system long time ago anyway. So he re-designed the tracking system and wrote a new one - Bug Tracker. The Bug Tracker is well organized. It has more features, friendlier interface, and more languages supported.

It was a pity that the Bug Tracker had only one user. So he gave it for free to some companies, Storlink Semiconductors, Inc., subsidiary of ASUS. Finally, it's time to open source!!

1.4 Who uses Bug Tracker

• Synology Inc. (http://www.synology.com)
• Storlink Semiconductors, Inc.
• Subsidiary of ASUS
• Click & Pledge (http://www.clickandpledge.com)

If you are using Bug Tracker, please email me to add your organization here.