Definition

Noun: A mistake or flaw within a computer program's code that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result, or to behave in an unintended way. It is a problem originating in the software itself, as opposed to a hardware malfunction or user mistake.

Usage

This term is used to describe the root cause of a malfunction within a software application, operating system, or any programmatic system. It is a technical term common in computing, software development, and IT support.

Examples

• The application crashed due to a software error in its memory management module.
• The calculation produced an incorrect total; the developers are investigating the software error.
• A critical software error in the update caused data loss for some users.

Advanced Usage

• "Edge case" software error: An error that occurs only under very specific, unusual, or extreme conditions that were not anticipated during testing.
  • The software error only manifests when the system date is set to February 29th on a non-leap year.
• "Silent" software error: An error that does not cause an obvious crash or message but results in corrupted data or incorrect background processing.
  • A silent software error was slowly degrading the integrity of the database over several months.

Variants and Related Words

• Bug (n): A common, informal synonym for a software error or defect in a program.
• Defect (n): A more formal term for an imperfection or deficiency in the software that causes it to fail to meet its requirements.
• Glitch (n): Often used for a minor, temporary, or unexplained software error.
• Software bug (n): A compound term that is essentially synonymous with "software error."
• Programming error (n): A phrase emphasizing the error originated in the act of writing the code.

Synonyms

• Bug
• Defect
• Fault
• Flaw
• Programming error

Related Phrases

• To encounter a software error: To experience or come across a software error during use.
  • Users began to encounter a software error after installing the latest patch.
• To fix/resolve a software error: To correct the faulty code causing the error.
  • The engineering team worked through the night to fix the critical software error.
• Error message: A notification displayed by the software indicating that an error (often a software error) has occurred.
  • A confusing error message appeared, but it was caused by a simple software error in the login routine.

Noun

1. error resulting from bad code in some program involved in producing the erroneous result