The bug life cycle, also CALLED the defect life cycle, is the PROCESS through which a defect advances through MULTIPLE phases over the course of its existence. This lifetime begins when a tester REPORTS an issue and ends when the problem has been fixed and will not recur. The following fault states can occur in a defect workflow.

• New: A new defect is referred to as "new" and given the status of New when it is first documented.
• Assigned: When a tester files a bug report, the tester's lead approves it and assigns it to the programming team.
• Open: The developer starts analysing and fixing the problem.
• Fixed: Once a developer has done a necessary code patch and confirmed it, he or she can mark an issue as "Fixed."
• Pending Retest: Once the issue has been resolved, the developer provides the tester with a unique code to retest the code. Because the software testing is still pending from the TESTERS, the status is "pending retest."
• Retest: At this stage, the tester retests the code to verify if the developer has repaired the problem, and the status is changed to "Re-test."
• Reopened: If the bug persists after the developer has fixed it, the tester changes the status to "reopened." The bug goes through the entire life cycle again.
• Verified: After the developer has fixed the bug, the tester re-tests it. The bug is repaired and the status is updated to "confirmed" if no bugs are detected in the software.
• Closed: The tester tags a bug as "Closed" when it is no longer existent.