How to Search or Browse Existing Bugs on Gentoo's Bugzilla

You can find existing Gentoo bug reports without filing anything new by using the Search and Browse links in the navigation bar of bugs.gentoo.org. Search lets you filter by product, component, status, or keyword; Browse lets you move through the bug database by category. The main page also offers one-click common queries for bugs reported or changed in the last 24 hours or 7 days. Checking these first is the intended way to avoid duplicate reports before you file your own.

Start from the main page

The Gentoo Bugzilla main page (version 5.2) presents a short set of entry points:

• Search — the full query interface for filtering bugs.
• Browse — navigate bugs by product and component.
• Common Queries — pre-built links for recent activity.
• Reports and Requests — summary views of bug activity.
• New Account / Log In — needed for tracking, commenting, or updates.

If you only want to look around, no account is required for searching and browsing. Logging in becomes relevant when you want to track a bug or add comments.

Search for bugs by criteria

Use Search when you already know something about the bug — the package, the component, the status, or a keyword from the error message.

1. Open Search in the navigation bar.
2. Enter your criteria. Typical fields include product, component, status, and a text/keyword field for matching summary or comment content.
3. Run the query and review the result list.
4. Open individual bugs to read the full report, comments, and current status.

The practical goal is to match on the most distinctive detail you have. A specific error string or package name narrows results far better than a general term like "build fails."

Browse bugs by product and component

Use Browse when you don't have a specific search term and want to see what exists in an area of Gentoo.

• Browse organizes bugs by product and then by component, so you can drill down into the subsystem you care about.
• This is useful for getting a feel for how a project's bugs are categorized before you search or report.

Use the common queries for recent activity

The main page lists ready-made queries, so you don't have to build them yourself:

These are the fastest way to see whether something you're hitting has just been reported or is actively being worked on.

Check before filing a new bug

The main page explicitly asks you to read the Gentoo Bug Reporting Guide before reporting bugs, and checking existing reports is part of that workflow. Searching first serves two purposes:

• You avoid filing a duplicate, which the maintainers would otherwise have to triage and close.
• You may find the bug already has a workaround, a fix in progress, or a status update in its comments.

Two policy notes from the main page are worth knowing even when you're only reading:

• AI policy: do not include any work from AI in bug reports.
• Bot policy: if you run a spider, bot, or automated process against the Bugzilla, read the Bot Policy first.

Log in to track bugs and get updates

Searching and browsing work without an account, but if you want to follow a bug over time:

1. Create an account via New Account, or log in if you already have one.
2. Open the bug you care about.
3. Add yourself to its CC list to receive updates, or add a comment if you have relevant information.

This is how you turn a one-time search into ongoing tracking of a bug's status.

Common sticking points

• Too many results: your keyword is too broad. Add a product or component, or use a more distinctive phrase from the error output.
• No results: the bug may not be filed yet, may be filed under a different product/component, or may be a duplicate already closed. Try browsing the relevant component before concluding it doesn't exist.
• Can't find a "track" button: tracking is tied to logging in — create an account first, then use the CC list on the bug page.