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What our bug fixing service covers
Bug fixing is the diagnosis and repair of faults in software that is already in use: a website, a web application, a mobile backend, an automation, a bot or an integration. It covers everything from a form that silently fails to submit, to totals that do not add up in a report, to an integration that works most days and fails on others.
The service applies to software we built and to software we did not. For inherited code, we spend a little time understanding the relevant part of the system before changing anything, because a fix made without context often creates the next bug.
The kind of problems we’re asked to fix
- An e-commerce checkout that occasionally creates an order without a payment, or a payment without an order.
- A clinic’s booking system that allows two patients into the same slot.
- A real estate portal whose search filters return listings that should not match.
- A SaaS dashboard that loads slowly or times out for accounts with more data.
- A manufacturer’s order sync with its ERP that duplicates or skips records.
- Emails, WhatsApp messages or notifications that are sent twice, or not at all.
- Errors that only appear on one browser, one device or one user’s account.
Intermittent bugs are the hardest and the most important. They usually point to a timing issue, a missing check, a race between two processes or an external service that behaves differently under load.
How we fix a bug, step by step
- Triage. We confirm the impact and agree a priority: is it blocking sales or work, affecting some users, or cosmetic?
- Reproduce. We recreate the problem in a test or staging environment, using logs, error tracking and the steps you describe.
- Diagnose. We trace the fault to its root cause rather than patching the visible symptom.
- Fix and test. The fix is written, reviewed and tested. Where it makes sense, we add a regression test so the same bug cannot quietly return.
- Release. The fix is deployed through your normal process, with a rollback plan for anything risky.
- Explain. You receive a short, plain-language note: what went wrong, why, what we changed and whether anything similar needs attention.
Priority and turnaround
Not every bug is urgent, and treating them all the same wastes time on small issues while serious ones wait. We agree priority levels with you in advance, with a target response and working turnaround for each.
| Priority | Typical example | How it’s handled |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Site down, payments failing, data being corrupted | Worked on immediately, with a temporary workaround first if needed |
| High | A key feature broken for many users | Scheduled ahead of other work |
| Normal | A feature misbehaving in specific cases | Fixed in the next planned cycle |
| Low | Cosmetic issues, minor text or layout problems | Batched with other small changes |
Tools and practices
Good diagnosis depends on good information. Where it is missing, we add it: structured application logs, error tracking that captures the stack trace and context, and request identifiers that let us follow a single action across services. Fixes go through version control and code review, and automated tests guard against the same fault reappearing. For integrations with payment gateways, CRMs or messaging APIs, we check the vendor’s own logs and webhook history alongside yours.
What affects timeline and effort
The time a bug takes depends far more on how hard it is to reproduce than on how serious it looks. A clear error message with a stack trace can be quick to fix. An intermittent issue with no logs may take longer to diagnose than to repair. Other factors include access to the code and environments, whether a staging copy exists, test coverage, and how well the affected part of the system is documented.
Common mistakes when fixing bugs
- Fixing the symptom — hiding an error message — without addressing the cause.
- Editing code directly on the live server, outside version control.
- Closing a report without confirming the fix with the person who raised it.
- Not recording what caused the bug, so the next developer rediscovers it from scratch.
When reporting a bug, the most useful details are what you did, what you expected, what happened instead, when it happened and which account or record was involved. Screenshots help; exact times help even more, because they let us find the matching log entries.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fix bugs in software built by another developer?
Yes. We review the relevant part of the code first, so the fix fits how the system actually works. We will tell you honestly if the problem points to a larger issue.
How quickly will my bug be fixed?
It depends on priority and how easily it can be reproduced. Critical issues are worked on immediately; others follow the turnaround agreed for their priority level.
Do you offer one-off bug fixes, or only retainers?
Both are possible. One-off fixes suit occasional issues; a support retainer suits businesses that want agreed response times and an engineer who already knows the system.
What if the bug can’t be reproduced?
We add logging or monitoring around the suspected area so the next occurrence captures enough detail to diagnose it, and we keep you informed while we wait for it.
Will I know what caused the problem?
Yes. Every fix comes with a plain explanation of the cause and what was changed, not just a status update.
Talk to us about bug fixes
Reported issues diagnosed and fixed with a turnaround you can plan around.