QA Fundamentals
Defect Lifecycle
The stages a bug goes through from discovery to closure — New, Assigned, Fixed, Verified, Closed.
Full definition
The defect lifecycle (bug lifecycle) describes the stages a defect passes through from initial discovery to final resolution.
Typical lifecycle states:
- 1.New: Bug is reported by QA
- 2.Open/Assigned: Confirmed and assigned to a developer
- 3.In Progress: Developer is working on the fix
- 4.Fixed: Developer has implemented a fix
- 5.Retest/Verified: QA verifies the fix works
- 6.Closed: Bug is confirmed fixed
Additional states:
- Rejected: Not a bug (works as designed)
- Deferred: Valid but will be fixed later
- Duplicate: Same as an existing bug
- Reopened: Fix didn't work, or bug reappeared
Understanding the lifecycle helps QA engineers communicate effectively with development teams and track the status of quality issues.