Bug Tracker

Many large software projects use software designated to keeping track of the problems and issues in their code. Such programs are generally referred to as bug trackers or issue trackers. These tools are also used for planning future features and releases. In addition, there may even be legal requirements dictating the use of such software.

In agile software develoopment, there are also good reasons not to use such tools as they create additional overhead. One of their key advantages is to have information on prior issues in a single place. However, some argue that for well written and automatically tested software, a sprint board and a product backlog are enough to keep track of issues that need to be solved. As of the documentation on how it was solved, version control like git lends itself well. But this documentation is only really relevant should a bug re-occur as a regression. However, this must be avoided by proper automated tests written before the bugfix. So wether your team needs issue tracking software is an individual decision.

If you need such software, evaluate carefully whether it fits your requirements. Personally, I recommend using simple processes that are easily matched by any product. There are a series of possible tools.

Git Hosting Services

Git hosting services like GitHub and GitLab both offer issue tracking and planning tools in their free tiers with more features in their paid tiers.

Open Source Tools

There are very many different options when it comes to open source bug tracking tools. A small selection is

	Bugzilla	Mantis	RT	Redmine
License
Main Language	Perl	PHP	Perl	Ruby
Professional Service	market	yes	yes	no
Website	bugzilla.org	mantisbt.org	requesttracker.com	redmine.org
Repository	bugzilla	mantisbt	rt	redmine

Proprietary Tools

There is also an abundance of proprietary tools. Currently, the best known closed source bug tracker is Jira (the name is derived from Gojira, which is Japanese for Godzilla). Its customizability is great, but also allows to keep and represent highly inefficient business and development processes.

Conclusion

For many projects, issue tracking software provides a valuable service. Wikipedia offers an excellent comparison of issue tracking systems.