reportbug is a command-line tool that is used to report bugs in Debian-based Linux distributions, such as Debian, Ubuntu, and their derivatives. It is a part of the Debian distribution and is provided as a package, which can be installed using the package manager.
When a user encounters a problem with a Debian package, they can use reportbug to report the issue to the Debian bug tracking system. The tool collects information about the system and the package that is causing the problem, and then generates a bug report that can be submitted to the Debian bug tracking system. This allows developers to identify and fix bugs in the software, improving the stability and functionality of the distribution.
To use reportbug, the user needs to have an email client installed on their system, as reportbug uses email to submit the bug report. When reportbug is launched, it prompts the user to enter a brief description of the problem, along with the affected package name. The tool then collects various system and package-related information, including the system architecture, installed packages, and configuration files. The collected data is then compiled into a bug report in a standard format and sent to the Debian bug tracking system.
Additionally, reportbug offers various options to customize the bug reporting process, such as setting the priority and severity of the bug, including additional debugging information, or attaching files and logs that may be relevant to the issue.
If you encounter the below error while running the command reportbug:
reportbug: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install reportbug |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install reportbug |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install reportbug |
| Raspbian | apt-get install reportbug |
reportbug Command Examples
1. Generate a bug report about a specific package, then send it by e-mail:
# reportbug package
2. Report a bug that is not about a specific package (general problem, infrastructure, etc.):
# reportbug other
3. Write the bug report to a file instead of sending it by e-mail:
# reportbug -o filename package
Summary
Overall, reportbug is a valuable tool for the Debian community, as it allows users to report bugs easily and efficiently, improving the quality of the distribution and enabling developers to address issues quickly.