Defect density

What is defect density?

Defect density, in quality assurance, is a key software quality metric that measures the number of confirmed defects found in a software component relative to its size, usually expressed as defects per thousand lines of code (KLOC).

Formula: Defect density = total number of defects / Size of the software (in KLOC or function points)

Purpose in QA: To assess the quality and reliability of the software by identifying modules or components with a high concentration of defects, guiding further testing and improvement efforts.

Benefits:

• Helps QA teams evaluate code quality
• Identifies high-risk or error-prone areas
• Supports better decision-making in test planning and resource allocation