I had a great conversation with a client yesterday that really stuck with me.
Their concern was simple: "There seem to be a lot of bugs."
But when we actually unpacked it, the reality was very different.
Over the past four months, they'd encountered about four minor issues. Nothing critical. Nothing business-stopping. But those issues had become the main lens through which they viewed the entire project.
And that's completely understandable - when something doesn’t behave as expected, it’s memorable. But it’s also important to zoom out and put software into proper context.
Bugs Aren’t a Software Problem - They’re a Reality Problem
When you build a house, there’s almost always a defects or warranty period. Not because the builder did a bad job - but because once people move in, real-world usage reveals things that simply couldn’t be predicted during construction.
When you buy a car, manufacturers issue recalls all the time. Not because the car is “broken”, but because new information, edge cases, and learnings emerge once thousands (or millions) of people start using it in different conditions.
Software is no different.
You can test extensively.
You can plan carefully.
You can follow best practices.
And still - once software hits the real world - you learn things.
The Difference With Software
Here’s where software actually has a huge advantage.
Unlike a house or a car, software isn’t frozen once it’s delivered.
If we identify an issue in production, we can:
- Fix it quickly
- Improve the experience
- Deploy an update without replacing the entire system
Your “final build” isn’t really final - it’s alive. It evolves as your business evolves.
That flexibility is a strength, not a weakness.
Bugs vs Progress: A Balancing Act
In theory, we could invest 100% of our time into chasing down every possible bug.
But there’s a trade-off.
- Some bugs appear only when underlying platforms update
- Some only surface under very specific real-world usage
- Some are introduced because new features are being built
If we stop building entirely to chase perfection, progress slows to a halt.
Instead, the healthiest approach is:
- Prioritise critical and high-impact issues
- Respond quickly when problems arise
- Keep improving and enhancing the product
Yes - new features can introduce new bugs. But without new features, software stops evolving to changing needs and requirements.
What Matters Most
Perfect software doesn’t exist.
What does exist is:
- Responsive teams
- Clear communication
- Sensible prioritisation
- A shared understanding that software improves through use
Bugs aren’t a sign of failure. They’re a sign that software is being used, learned from, and refined.
At Dcode, our focus isn’t on pretending bugs don’t exist - it’s on how we respond to them, while continuing to build tools that move your business forward.
Because in the real world, progress beats perfection every time.
