Of course! The "Python bug tracker" is the central system where bugs and feature requests for the Python programming language itself are managed.

Here's a comprehensive guide covering what it is, how to use it, and best practices.

The Official Bug Tracker: bugs.python.org

The official and only bug tracker for the Python language is bugs.python.org (BPO). It's a public instance of the Roundup issue tracking system.

• URL: https://bugs.python.org

This tracker is used for:

• Reporting bugs in the CPython interpreter (the standard implementation of Python).
• Reporting bugs in the Python standard library (e.g., os, json, datetime).
• Proposing and tracking new features (called "Enhancement Proposals").
• Tracking tasks and improvements to the documentation.

Who Can Use It?

Anyone can use the bug tracker, but your access level determines what you can do:

• Anonymous Users: Can view all public issues and submit new reports.
• Registered Users (with a PSF Account): Can comment on issues, subscribe to receive updates, and have their reports associated with their account. If you contribute to Python (e.g., by fixing a bug), you will be granted an account.
• Core Developers & Committers: Have full access to manage issues, close them, assign them, and commit code fixes to the Python source repository.

How to Report a Bug (The Step-by-Step Guide)

Reporting a bug effectively is crucial. A good report helps the core developers understand and fix the problem quickly.

Step 1: Check if the Bug Already Exists

Before you spend time writing a report, search the tracker thoroughly. Use multiple keywords related to your issue. Many common problems have already been reported.

Step 2: Create an Account (Recommended)

It's highly recommended to create an account. This allows you to edit your report later and subscribe to the issue to get notified about its status.

Step 3: Fill Out the Issue Report Form

When you click "Create New", you'll be presented with a form. Here’s how to fill it out correctly:

| Field | Description & Best Practices | | :--- | :--- || Be concise and descriptive. A good title summarizes the problem.
Bad: Problem with list
Good: list.sort() is unstable when sorting objects with customltmethods | | Type | Choose the correct type. The most common are:
- bug: A defect in the Python code.
- feature: A request for a new feature.
- documentation: An error or improvement needed in the docs.
- performance: A report that something is too slow. | | Component | Select the part of Python where the bug occurs. Be as specific as possible (e.g., Library (Lib), Parser, Interpreter Core). If you're unsure, Library (Lib) is a safe bet for standard library issues. | | Keywords | Add relevant keywords to help with searching (e.g., list, sorting, regression, 11). | | Stage | Usually leave this as Unreviewed. The triage team will set it later. | | Severity | This is your best guess at how serious the bug is. Normal is the default and a safe choice. Only use Critical or Blocker if the issue completely breaks core functionality for a wide range of users. | | Versions | This is critical. Select all Python versions where you can reproduce the bug. If you don't know, select all or 11, 10, etc. | | Files | Attach any files that help demonstrate the bug. This could be a short script, a traceback, or a log file. | | Add/Change Description | This is the most important part. |

Step 4: Write a Detailed Description

A good description should include the following sections:

A. Expected Behavior Describe what you expected to happen. This is the "correct" output or behavior.

Example: When sorting a list of custom objects usinglist.sort(key=...), the sort should be stable, meaning objects with equal keys should retain their original order.

B. Actual Behavior Describe what actually happened. This is the buggy output or behavior.

Example: The sort order of objects with equal keys is not preserved. It appears to be random between runs.

C. Steps to Reproduce Provide a Minimal, Reproducible Example. This is a short, self-contained Python script that anyone can run to see the bug. It should not require any external files or complex setup.

# A minimal, reproducible example
class Item:
    def __init__(self, name, value):
        self.name = name
        self.value = value
    def __repr__(self):
        return f"Item('{self.name}', {self.value})"
    # Using __lt__ makes the sort unstable in Python 3.11
    def __lt__(self, other):
        return self.value < other.value
items = [
    Item('a', 2),
    Item('b', 1),
    Item('c', 2),
]
# Sort by value
items.sort()
print(items)
# Expected: [Item('b', 1), Item('a', 2), Item('c', 2)]
# Actual (in some Python versions): [Item('b', 1), Item('c', 2), Item('a', 2)]

D. Your System Information This helps developers determine if the bug is related to your specific environment.

• Python Version: The output of python --version or sys.version. Be specific (e.g., Python 3.11.4).
• Operating System: e.g., Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS, Windows 11, macOS Sonoma 14.1.1.
• Compiler: (Optional but helpful) e.g., GCC 11.4.0.

Bug Life Cycle

Once you submit a bug, it goes through a process:

1. New: Your issue is submitted and public.
2. Triage: Core developers review the issue. They will:
   • Confirm it's a valid bug.
   • Set the correct Priority, Stage, and Assignee.
   • If it's a duplicate, they will close it and link to the original.
   • If it's not a bug (e.g., user error), they may close it with a message.
3. Accepted/In Progress: The bug is confirmed and assigned to a developer who is working on it. The status might change to in progress, patch review, etc.
4. Closed: The bug is fixed in the source code. The issue will be closed, often with a link to the specific commit that fixed it.
5. Wont Fix / Rejected: The issue is deemed not to be a bug or not worth fixing for some reason (e.g., it's too minor, it's a design choice, or it would break backward compatibility).

Other Important Trackers

While bugs.python.org is for the language itself, other projects in the Python ecosystem have their own trackers.

Summary

• For the Python language: Use bugs.python.org.
• For pip/setuptools: Use their GitHub Issues.
• For almost any other library: Check its GitHub repository for an "Issues" tab.
• Always search first to avoid duplicates.
• Provide a Minimal, Reproducible Example. This is the single most important thing you can do.