What do you do if your mobile application encounters a critical bug?

Getting the stack trace for defect is the first thing we look at, but only stack trace is not enough. Bugs come in different shapes and sizes. They could be OS version dependent, device version dependent, user specific, and many more. We need to have some kind of bug identification system where we can get all the extra details apart from stack trace, to replicate the bug. Be it analytics, logging or simple user feedback, we need to consider what all things could impact the run time of code and track all those things. Once this system is implemented, the tracking, replication and inspection of bug becomes easy.

In Flutter apps, we can identify bugs efficiently by leveraging built-in debugging tools like Flutter DevTools, logging statements strategically, and using Flutter Inspector to debug UI layout issues. Comprehensive widget and integration testing helps catch bugs early, while testing on different devices and platforms ensures compatibility. Implementing error handling and crash reporting, gathering user feedback and analytics, conducting code reviews, and setting up CI/CD pipelines all contribute to a streamlined bug identification process, resulting in a more stable and high-quality Flutter app.

In order to test and identify a bug we need to understand the requirements and functionality end to end. Trying with Happy and unhappy paths for different scenarios and inputs. Always look for edge cases and scenarios that we tend to miss by creating a checklist for all the scenarios. Check with different devices and OS versions as well.

In the event of a critical bug in your mobile application, prompt communication is essential. Notify relevant stakeholders about the bug's nature, scope, and potential impact. Provide an estimated timeline and resources required for resolution. Apologize for any inconvenience and assure stakeholders that a solution is being actively pursued. Transparent and timely communication fosters trust and demonstrates commitment to resolving issues efficiently.

The vital part post identifying a bug will be taking necessary actions by documenting it in proper channels and letting the appropriate stakeholders to know about it. Communicating them about the impact, severity, required time and resources to fix it. Also coming up with a plan for analysing the root cause and fix will help a lot.

fixing a bug involves creating a new branch in version control, reviewing the codebase, and seeking feedback through code review. Write or update unit and integration tests to validate the fix and ensure it doesn't introduce regressions. Refactor code if necessary for clarity and performance.

Fixing a bug starts by identifying the root cause of the bug. Finding a fix is as important as also to make sure that doesn’t introduce anything new or break anything that’s already there. During the process of fixing the bug if you feel the there is some code smells and some refactoring required it’s always recommended to do it. Getting a proper code review and an overall testing will give you good to go.

Release of fix will be decided more the severity and if it’s a severe bug it’s always recommended to provide a quick patch. Also if the impact is severe it’s always better to go with a hard update since without it user experience will be affected. Notifying about the issue and the update benefits should be communicated clearly.

To fix the bug , very first you need to identify the particular problem by analysing the logs data. The. Try to googling and also try to find different solutions. If not getting post your question in various online forums to get your answer from other developers.

By having a proper analytics tool will help in tracking the provided fix. Additionally looking for performance metrics is also important, based on this if required any improvements that’s good to make. Documenting the results will help for future developments and decisions to make on providing fixes.

After deploying the bug fix, it's essential to monitor its impact by tracking the number of affected users and the specific code versions involved. This helps determine if the fix is effective across all versions of the code. If certain OS versions do not support the fixes, alternative solutions may need consideration. Additionally, thorough testing is crucial to ensure the fix does not inadvertently cause new bugs or issues.

Staged Quality Control: Unlike backend, with mobile apps, you can't rollback the code once released. That's why quality control is needed at multiple stages. During development, adhere to best practices, utilize feature flags, write tests, employ pre-commit hooks for checks. As part of CI/CD, run static code analysis, security checks, tests, and perform strict code reviews. In testing, employ a testing pyramid approach that includes manual, unit, integration, and UI tests, along with bug bashes, performance testing, accessibility testing. During deployment, have staged rollouts and monitor for unexpected behaviours and crashes. If an issue is found, since you can't rollback, aim to halt the rollout promptly and release a patch fix.

When fixing bugs in Flutter apps, it's important to consider platform-specific behaviors and maintain backward compatibility across different versions. Additionally, optimize performance where possible, addressing any inefficiencies in the code. Transparent communication with users about bug fixes, along with providing release notes, fosters trust and keeps users informed. Establishing a feedback loop allows for continuous improvement, gathering insights on the effectiveness of the fix and any remaining issues users encounter. By considering these factors, bug fixes not only address immediate issues but also contribute to the overall stability, performance, and user satisfaction of the Flutter app.