Bugzilla

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Introduction

Bugzilla is one of the oldest open-source bug trackers, originally built by Mozilla. Its site describes it as software designed to drive software development, letting teams plan, organise and release software on their own schedule. The project is now independently funded through a nonprofit (Zarro Boogs Corporation) and community sponsorship.

According to the Bugzilla blog, versions 5.2, 5.0.4.1 and 4.4.14 were released on 3 September 2024, the first releases after the nonprofit was formed. An August 2026 blog post describes the “Harmony” effort to merge bugzilla.mozilla.org’s fork back upstream, and the GitHub repository had commits in November 2026. The source is licensed under MPL-2.0.

Bugzilla is known for powerful search, detailed bug fields, dependency tracking, email notifications, time tracking and strong security for large public projects. It is written in Perl and needs a database such as MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL.

In the quality loop Bugzilla is a defect database, especially for large open-source projects.

Features

1. Advanced search: Detailed queries and saved searches.
2. Bug dependencies: Track blocking relationships.
3. Email notifications: Configurable notifications.
4. Custom fields and workflows: Adapt fields and statuses.
5. Time tracking: Track estimates and time spent.
6. Security: Granular group-based permissions.

Pros

1. Free and open source: MPL-2.0.
2. Proven at scale: Used by large public projects.
3. Revived development: Nonprofit governance and recent releases.

Cons

1. Dated interface: Feels old next to modern trackers.
2. Perl stack: Installation and upkeep need Perl expertise.
3. Slow release cadence: The last major release was 5.2 in 2024.

Usage and Links (Example)

Install Bugzilla 5.2 on a Perl web server with a database, configure products and components, set up groups and permissions, and enable email. Use saved searches and dependency trees to manage release blockers.

For QA teams, the practical test of any tracker is the bug lifecycle: can testers file a reproducible bug with environment details and attachments in under a minute, can developers see it in their normal workflow, and can a test management or automation tool link failed tests to it automatically? Trial it with a real sprint’s bugs before standardising.

Useful links:

• Bugzilla site

Pricing

Free and open source under MPL-2.0. The project accepts sponsorship.

Recommended for?

• Large open-source projects
• Organisations already running Bugzilla
• Teams needing powerful search and permissions in a free tool

Conclusion

Bugzilla remains a capable open-source bug tracker with renewed governance. It suits teams that value its search and permission model; others may prefer a more modern UI.