Troubleshooting · Oct 2026 · 2 min read

How to make a minimal reproduction of a bug

A small example that shows the bug is the fastest route to a fix, and it often reveals the cause on its own.

A minimal reproduction is the smallest piece of code that still shows the problem. It removes everything that is not part of the bug, so you and anyone helping you can focus on what is.

Start from a copy of the failing code and remove things one at a time: features, files, dependencies and data. After each removal, check whether the bug is still there. If it disappears, the last thing you removed is involved.

Alternatively, start from an empty project and add only what is needed to trigger the bug. This works well when the original project is large.

Write down the exact versions of everything involved: language, framework, libraries, operating system and browser. A bug that appears in one version and not another is half solved.

Very often, making the reproduction is how you find the cause. If you do not, you now have something small and clear to send with your request, which makes the answer faster and better.