What is Bug?
An error in the code. Can be anything from 'the button is 1 pixel off' to 'the whole app crashes'. We fix both kinds.
A bug is an error in the code that makes something not work as intended. It can be tiny, like a button sitting a millimetre off, or big enough to stop the whole app working. The word bug literally means "insect" in English, and it has stuck in computing since technicians in the 1940s actually found an insect stuck in a machine.
Think of it like a typo in a recipe. If it says "2 litres of salt" instead of "2 teaspoons of salt", the kitchen follows the instructions literally and the dish is inedible. The computer does exactly what the code says, even when what it says is wrong. A bug is not the computer misbehaving on its own — it is doing precisely what it was told, mistakes included.
Bugs are a completely normal part of building software. Even skilled developers create them, because code is complex and small mistakes slip in. What matters is not never having bugs, but having good ways to find and fix them quickly.
Why do bugs matter for your business?
Bugs can cost money and trust. A bug in a payment function can stop customers buying, and a bug showing the wrong price can get expensive. Taking bugs seriously is not tech fuss — it is protecting your business.
It is also worth knowing bugs are normal. A serious supplier does not promise a completely bug-free product, but a process for catching and fixing errors before they hit customers, plus fast help when something still slips through.
Bugs in practice
Say a shop notices that discount codes are not working at checkout during a campaign. That is a bug: the code calculates wrong or fails to apply the discount. Customers get annoyed and may abandon the purchase.
A developer then looks at the code, finds where the error is, fixes it, and deploys a new version. The campaign works again. The better the system is built to catch such things, the faster you resolve them — ideally before customers even notice.
Common questions about Bug
What does bug mean?
A bug is an error in the code that makes an app or website not work as intended. It can be anything from a small cosmetic issue to the whole system stopping working.
Why are code errors called bugs?
The word means insect in English. The story goes that technicians in the 1940s found a real insect stuck in a machine that caused a fault, and the name has stuck ever since.
Can you build software with no bugs at all?
In practice, no. Bugs are a natural part of creating software, even for skilled developers. What matters is having good routines to find and fix them quickly.
Related terms
Backend
The invisible machinery behind the scenes. Nobody sees it, but nothing works without it. Like a good sound engineer at a concert.
Boilerplate
Standard code every project needs. Dull but necessary — like making the bed before you can sleep in it.
Code Review
When a colleague checks your code before it goes live. Catches embarrassing mistakes — and stops your app crashing.
Commit
Saving a change to your code history. Good commit messages save lives. "fixed stuff" does not.
Deploy
Pressing the button that makes your app available to the world. Nerve-wracking every time. Every. Single. Time.
Open Source
Code anyone can inspect, use, and contribute to. Powers much of the internet in the background — often for free.