FlowBuilder

Bug triage flowchart

Engineering teams chart bug triage so that every report gets the same treatment. The first decision, can we reproduce it, is where most bugs stall.

How to write steps
  • One step per line. Lines connect top to bottom.
  • End a line with ? to make a decision. Indent the answers under it: yes: Ship it, no: Refund.
  • Indent more lines under an answer to continue that branch.
  • -> Step name jumps back to an earlier step (a loop). no -> Step name works inside a decision.
  • Start, End, Done or Stop become rounded start/end shapes.
  • Shape tags: [input] [output] [doc] [db] [sub] [manual] [delay].
  • lane: Sales on its own line puts the next steps in a swimlane.
  • Or paste Mermaid code starting with flowchart TD. It’s detected automatically.

Mermaid code for this chart
flowchart TD
  n1(["Start"])
  n2[/"Bug report filed"/]
  n3{"Can we reproduce it?"}
  n4["Ask the reporter for steps and logs"]
  n5{"Reply within 7 days?"}
  n6["Close as cannot reproduce"]
  n7(["End"])
  n8{"Is it a security or data-loss bug?"}
  n9["Fix immediately and hotfix release"]
  n10["Add to backlog with priority"]
  n11["Fix in a planned sprint"]
  n12["Write a regression test"]
  n13["Close the bug"]
  n1 --> n2
  n2 --> n3
  n3 -->|"no"| n4
  n4 --> n5
  n5 -->|"no"| n6
  n6 --> n7
  n3 -->|"yes"| n8
  n8 -->|"yes"| n9
  n8 -->|"no"| n10
  n10 --> n11
  n9 --> n12
  n11 --> n12
  n12 --> n13
  n13 --> n7
  n5 -->|"yes"| n3

The steps as text

This is the source of the chart above, so the template is readable even without the diagram.

Start
[input] Bug report filed
Can we reproduce it?
  no: Ask the reporter for steps and logs
    Reply within 7 days?
      yes: -> Can we reproduce it?
      no: Close as cannot reproduce
        End
  yes: Is it a security or data-loss bug?
    yes: Fix immediately and hotfix release
    no: Add to backlog with priority
      Fix in a planned sprint
Write a regression test
Close the bug
End

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Questions people ask

How do I edit this bug triage flowchart?

Change the text in the editor. Each line is a step, lines ending in “?” are decisions, and indented lines are the answers. The chart redraws as you type and is saved in your browser.

Can I download it?

Yes: PNG for documents and slides, SVG for sharp printing, or Mermaid code for GitHub, Notion and Obsidian.