Bugzilla has built-in mechanisms to detect and handle duplicate bugs efficiently. Here’s how it works :
1. Duplicate Detection During Bug Entry
- When a user starts typing a new bug report, Bugzilla suggests similar existing bugs based on the title and description.
- This helps users find and link to existing reports before creating a new one.
2. Manually Marking a Bug as a Duplicate
- If a duplicate is reported, a team member can mark it as a duplicate of an existing bug.
- This is done by selecting the "Mark as Duplicate" option and entering the bug ID of the original report.
- The duplicate bug is automatically closed with a status like “RESOLVED DUPLICATE” and linked to the original.
3. Tracking Duplicates
- Even after marking a bug as a duplicate, it remains in the database for reference.
- Bugzilla maintains a link between the duplicate and the original bug, so users can see a history of related reports.
- If necessary, the bug can be reopened if it turns out to be a different issue.
4. Searching for Duplicates
- Users can perform advanced searches in Bugzilla to look for similar reports.
- Developers and QA teams often use specific filters to find and merge duplicate bug reports.
