How to Report a Bug in Abseil C++: The Complete Guide

To report a bug in Abseil C++, submit a structured issue using the Bug Report template at .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml, providing details on the failure, reproduction steps, version, OS, compiler, and build system after signing the Contributor License Agreement (CLA).

Reporting a bug in the Abseil C++ library requires following a standardized process defined in the repository's contributor guidelines. The abseil/abseil-cpp repository on GitHub enforces a specific template to ensure every report contains the necessary technical details for maintainers to reproduce and triage issues efficiently.

Prerequisites: Contributor License Agreement

Before creating any issue, you must sign the Contributor License Agreement (CLA) as documented in CONTRIBUTING.md. The Abseil project requires this for all submissions because every bug report may evolve into a code change that requires legal clearance for contribution.

Using the Bug Report Template

When you click "New issue" in the repository, select the Bug Report template defined in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml. This template enforces seven required fields that capture the complete context of the failure.

What Happened?

Provide a concise description of the observed failure and the expected behavior. Clearly distinguish between the actual output and what you anticipated the library to return.

Steps to Reproduce

Include exact code snippets, BUILD or CMakeLists.txt excerpts, and the precise commands used to compile and run the example. Links to a minimal repository branch or a Godbolt URL significantly accelerate the debugging process.

Version

Specify the exact commit SHA by running git rev-parse HEAD in your local repository, or identify the specific LTS release you are using. This ensures maintainers can checkout the identical code state.

Operating System

Include the distribution name and version for Linux, or the specific version of macOS or Windows where the bug manifests.

Compiler

Provide the output of gcc -v, clang -v, or the equivalent command for your compiler toolchain to document the exact compiler version and target architecture.

Build System

State whether you are using Bazel or CMake, and include the output of bazel --version or cmake --version respectively.

Additional Context

Use this optional field for free-form notes such as references to related GitHub issues, error logs, stack traces, or historical context about when the regression appeared.

Example Bug Report Format

Below is a minimal example of a properly formatted bug report body that satisfies all required fields. Replace the placeholder sections with your actual data.

**What happened**
The `absl::StrCat` function returns an empty string when concatenating a literal with an `absl::Cord`.

**Steps to reproduce**

```cpp
#include "absl/strings/str_cat.h"
#include "absl/strings/cord.h"

int main() {
  absl::Cord c("world");
  std::string s = absl::StrCat("hello ", c);
  std::cout << s << "\n";  // Expected: "hello world", got: ""
}

Build with:

bazel build //:my_test
bazel run //:my_test

Version git rev-parse HEAD → 6f9c2d3a3b9e5c7a1e2f3d4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d

Operating system Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Compiler gcc -v → GCC 11.3.0

Build system Bazel 5.3.0

Additional context This regression appears after updating to the latest absl::Cord implementation (see commit 6f9c2d3).

## Locating the Issue Templates

The repository organizes its issue workflow through several key configuration files:

- **[`.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml)** – Defines the required fields and validation rules for bug reports.
- **[`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)** – Explains the CLA requirement and best practices for submitting issues and patches.
- **[`ABSEIL_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/ABSEIL_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md)** – Provides the overall issue-template framework and metadata used by the repository.

## Summary

- Sign the **Contributor License Agreement (CLA)** before filing any issue in `abseil/abseil-cpp`.
- Use the structured **Bug Report template** located at [`.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml).
- Provide complete **reproduction steps** with code snippets and build configuration files.
- Include the **commit SHA** (`git rev-parse HEAD`), operating system version, compiler version (`gcc -v` or `clang -v`), and build system version (`bazel --version` or `cmake --version`).
- Reference related commits or issues in the **Additional context** field to help triage.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need to sign a CLA to report a bug in Abseil C++?

Yes. According to [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), you must sign the Contributor License Agreement before submitting a bug report because every issue may evolve into a code change that requires the CLA.

### What information is required in the Abseil C++ bug report template?

The template requires seven specific fields: what happened, steps to reproduce, version (commit SHA or LTS), operating system, compiler details, build system version, and optional additional context.

### Where is the Abseil C++ bug report template located?

The template configuration is stored at [`.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/00-bug_report.yml) in the repository root, with supplementary framework documentation in [`ABSEIL_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/ABSEIL_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md).

### Can I report Abseil C++ bugs if I use CMake instead of Bazel?

Yes. The bug report template accepts either build system. Simply specify your **CMake** version using `cmake --version` and include relevant [`CMakeLists.txt`](https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/blob/main/CMakeLists.txt) excerpts in your reproduction steps.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}