Root Cause Pattern

A Root Cause Pattern is a bug pattern that represents the underlying causal factor of recurring software defects in a codebase.

• AKA: Defect Root Cause Pattern, Bug Origin Pattern, Fundamental Bug Pattern, Causal Defect Pattern.
• Context:
  • It can typically be identified through bug pattern analysis employing root cause analysis methods.
  • It can typically manifest in multiple source code locations sharing similar implementation antipatterns.
  • It can often inform targeted code enhancement suggestions for systemic defect prevention.
  • It can often indicate architectural weaknesses or design limitations.
  • It can range from being a Simple Root Cause Pattern to being a Complex Root Cause Pattern, depending on its causal complexity.
  • It can range from being a Local Root Cause Pattern to being a Systemic Root Cause Pattern, depending on its impact scope.
  • It can range from being a Technical Root Cause Pattern to being a Process Root Cause Pattern, depending on its origin type.
  • It can range from being a Deterministic Root Cause Pattern to being a Probabilistic Root Cause Pattern, depending on its occurrence predictability.
  • It can support preventive code maintenance processes through root cause elimination.
  • It can require cross-functional analysis for complete understanding.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Technical Root Cause Patterns, such as:
    • Input Validation Root Cause Pattern causing injection vulnerabilitys.
    • Resource Management Root Cause Pattern causing memory leaks.
    • Synchronization Root Cause Pattern causing race conditions.
  • Design Root Cause Patterns, such as:
    • API Misuse Root Cause Pattern from unclear documentation.
    • Coupling Root Cause Pattern from poor modularity.
    • State Management Root Cause Pattern from complex state machines.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Bug Symptom, which is an observable effect rather than underlying cause.
  • Individual Bug Instance, which is a specific occurrence rather than recurring pattern.
  • Code Smell, which indicates quality issue rather than bug cause.
• See: Software Bug Pattern, Software Defect Pattern, Root Cause Analysis, Causal Analysis, Bug Pattern Analysis, Software Defect Taxonomy, Code Enhancement Suggestion, Preventive Code Maintenance Process, Pattern Recognition Task, Software Quality Analysis.

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