Reasons not to build your own bug tracking system [closed]

Answer 1

If "Needing some highly specialised report, or the ability to tweak some feature in some allegedly unique way", the best and cheapest way to do that is to talk to the developers of existing bug tracking systems. Pay them to put that feature in their application, make it available to the world. Instead of reinventing the wheel, just pay the wheel manufacturers to put in spokes shaped like springs.

Otherwise, if trying to showcase a framework, its all good. Just make sure to put in the relevant disclaimers.

To the people who believe bug tracking system are not difficult to build, follow the waterfall SDLC strictly. Get all the requirements down up front. That will surely help them understand the complexity. These are typically the same people who say that a search engine isn't that difficult to build. Just a text box, a "search" button and a "i'm feeling lucky" button, and the "i'm feeling lucky" button can be done in phase 2.

Answer 2

I think the reason people write their own bug tracking systems (in my experience) are,

1. They don't want to pay for a system they see as being relatively easy to build.
2. Programmer ego
3. General dissatisfaction with the experience and solution delivered by existing systems.
4. They sell it as a product :)

To me, the biggest reason why most bug trackers failed was that they did not deliver an optimum user experience and it can be very painful working with a system that you use a LOT, when it is not optimised for usability.

I think the other reason is the same as why almost every one of us (programmers) have built their own custom CMS or CMS framework at sometime (guilty as charged). Just because you can!

Answer 3

We have done this here. We wrote our first one over 10 years ago. We then upgraded it to use web services, more as a way to learn the technology. The main reason we did this originally was that we wanted a bug tracking system that also produced version history reports and a few other features that we could not find in commercial products.

We are now looking at bug tracking systems again and are seriously considering migrating to Mantis and using Mantis Connect to add additional custom features of our own. The amount of effort in rolling our own system is just too great.

I guess we should also be looking at FogBugz :-)

Answer 4

Because it's not billable time or even very useful unless you are going to sell it.

There are perfectly good bug tracking systems available, for example, FogBugz.

Answer 5

Programmers like to build their own ticket system because, having seen and used dozens of them, they know everything about it. That way they can stay in the comfort zone.

It's like checking out a new restaurant: it might be rewarding, but it carries a risk. Better to order pizza again.

There's also a great fact of decision making buried in there: there are always two reasons to do something: a good one and the right one. We make a decision ("Build our own"), then justify it ("we need full control"). Most people aren't even aware of their true motivation.

To change their minds, you have to attack the real reason, not the justification.

Answer 6

The most basic argument for me would be the time loss. I doubt it could be completed in less than a month or two. Why spend the time when there are soooo many good bug tracking systems available? Give me an example of a feature that you have to tweak and is not readily available.

I think a good bug tracking system has to reflect your development process. A very custom development process is inherently bad for a company/team. Most agile practices favor Scrum or these kinds of things, and most bug tracking systems are in line with such suggestions and methods. Don't get too bureaucratic about this.