As a developer and a tester, I was always on the lookout for good tools and methods to keep track of bugs, problems and incidents that occur with development software. Needless to say, there is a huge amount of tools out there to do. Just do a Google search for "bug tracking" and you will be surprised the amount of hits you get. Many of these products are great and do a fantastic job, but at a cost.
If you go the open source route, then discover that there are many different products to choose from. But in many cases, the tool is rather limited in functionality, is too complex to configure or use, or not have support. Among all these tools, one stands above the rest. This is the Mantis Bug Tracker! Mantis is a web-based bug tracking system that uses a copy of the complete SQL database with an easy to use web interface. Mantis is an open source project at Sourceforge.net. Therefore, Mantis 'free'! Now, before started running with "free = junk mentality," which really should take a serious look Mantis. Here's why:

First, Mantis has huge user base. Many users support means a lot! The discussion forum on the website is a great resource for answers to your questions.

The product has reached a mature state. When I started using Mantis 5 years ago, I thought it was great then! But now I'm really impressed! The product is growing and with the support of the user community.
This has got to be one of the easiest installations I've had the pleasure of experiencing. You call your provider Internet and make your time in your account on the MySQL server. Then using the MySQL interface, in the past the SQL script to create the database structure. You do a couple of minor changes to a script file, then run the installer. Then BANG – you're in!

Mantis is very configurable. Once created as a service Mantis request tracking system – to keep track of incoming calls and service requests for a PC repair business. It worked great! The owner and the technicians were very impressed with the ability to receive an email each time a service request entered

Mantis is available in 30 different languages, with more on the road.
There are several filters to look at the list of bugs in just about any order you want.

Mantis offers the possibility that evaluators and users introduce new errors. An e-mail automatically sent to the person designated as project director. The PM can be assigned and prioritize the error. The assignee receives an email with the assignment. When the error is corrected, the developer can therefore flag. And then the PM or control quality can verify and close the bug. Multiple projects can be managed in a single database. A project can be marked as public or private.

The graphs can be generated with the tool JPGraphs complement. (Also, an open source project.)

The documentation on the website is extensive and includes User Contributed Notes.

And I totally impressed with the ability to save and export my bug reports in Word and Excel files.

The art of developing Mantis software is in fact that was originally created as an application MOIIN. (The mother of invention is necessity.) (And yes, formed by the acronym.;)) The developer wanted a "free" application to track errors on your game development project. Finding none, he dove in and created Mantis. There was a huge response to his efforts, he decided to rewrite and release Mantis to the public. And the fact that so many people are using Mantis says much about its usefulness.

Personally, I have spent many hours pouring over a massive number of packages available for issue tracking. I always end Mantis again. The price can not be beat. And for those who do not want to install and configure a Mantis Bug tracking system then offering a "Hosted" plan for a cost least.

Mantis that I anticipate will be here for long. And every time they have influence on the decision and the use of a software bug tracking system Mantis then it is my choice!

Timothy Trimble, The ART of Software Development

Timothy Trimble is a award winning, freelance writer, and software developer. He has written a book for Microsoft Press, articles for significant computer industry trade magazines, and is currently working on his second computer technology book to be published in early 2006. He is the Blog publisher of The ART of Software Development which can be found via his web site at http://www.timothytrimble.info

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