How to report a bug or request a feature — simple step-by-step guide for an 11-year-old

A friendly, easy-to-follow guide for kids on how to report a bug or ask for a feature during software development. Includes a clear template, examples, and a short protocol to follow.

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Quick idea

Think of reporting a bug or asking for a feature like being a detective or sending a clear letter to the people who make the app. You want to tell them exactly what happened, how to make it happen again, and why it matters.

Step-by-step protocol (easy)

  1. Check first: Look to see if someone already reported the same bug or idea. That saves time.
  2. Reproduce it: Try the same steps again to make sure it really happens every time (or often).
  3. Gather facts: Write down the exact steps, what you expected to happen, and what actually happened.
  4. Collect proof: Take screenshots or record a short video. If there is an error message, copy it or take a picture.
  5. Note the environment: Say what device, browser, or app version you used (for example: iPhone 12, Chrome 120, App v1.2.3).
  6. Give it a title: One short sentence that explains the problem, like "Save button does nothing on profile page".
  7. Choose how important: Is it making the app crash (high), annoying (medium), or just a small typo (low)?
  8. Send it using the right tool: Put your report in the team’s issue tracker (like GitHub, Jira, or Trello) or tell the person in charge if that’s what your team uses.
  9. Follow up politely: If no one replies after a while, ask if they need more info.
  10. Verify and close: When it’s fixed, try it yourself and say it’s okay so they can close the report.

A simple template you can copy

Title: [short sentence]
Type: Bug / Feature Request
Steps to reproduce:
  1. ...
  2. ...
  3. ...
Expected result: [what should happen]
Actual result: [what happens]
Device / Browser / App version: [e.g., Windows 10, Chrome 120]
Severity: Critical / High / Medium / Low
Attachments: [screenshots, video, logs]
Additional notes: [anything else helpful]

Example — bug

Title: Save button does nothing on profile page
Type: Bug
Steps to reproduce:
  1. Open app and go to Profile > Edit
  2. Change the display name
  3. Click Save
Expected result: The new display name is saved and shown on the profile
Actual result: Nothing happens; no message and the name stays the same
Device / Browser / App version: MacBook, Safari 16, App v2.0.1
Severity: High (users cannot save changes)
Attachments: screenshot of console error

Example — feature request

Title: Add a dark mode option
Type: Feature Request
Description: A dark theme would make the app easier to use at night. Please add a toggle in Settings to switch between Light and Dark modes.
Why useful: Some users find bright screens uncomfortable at night, and dark mode can save battery on phones.
Priority: Medium
Attachments: mockup images (optional)

Extra tips

  • Be clear and short. The easier it is to read, the faster someone can fix it.
  • Be nice — developers are people too. A calm, polite report gets faster help.
  • If you're not sure what to write, show them the screenshot and say what you did. That’s already very helpful.

That’s it — follow these steps and you’ll be great at helping teams find and fix bugs or build cool new features!

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