How is defect density calculated?

Defect density is calculated by dividing the total number of defects by the size of the component being measured. This size can be expressed in various units, such as lines of code, function points, or any other measure that quantifies the size or complexity of the software component.

The rationale behind using this method is that it provides a normalized metric that allows for meaningful comparisons across different components or releases. By relating the number of defects to size, teams can better understand the quality of their software relative to its complexity or functional breadth. This metric is particularly useful in identifying areas that may require further focus or improvement, as a higher defect density could indicate that a component is problematic or that more resources should be allocated to its development or testing.

The other options, while relevant in their contexts, do not accurately reflect how defect density is specifically calculated. For instance, counting defects per feature or per release might provide insights into overall quality or performance but does not standardize the defect count against a consistent metric of size or complexity. Similarly, simply documenting total defects lacks the necessary context related to size, making it difficult to assess quality effectively.