How To Troubleshoot A 500 Internal Server Error

A 500 Internal Server Error is a frustrating experience to both the visitor and the owner of the web site. This is a generic Http Error 500- status code that the server experienced an unforeseen condition that made it unable to complete the request. To put it simply, it is that something has malfunctioned on the server of the site, but the server could not give a larger detail of what exactly was wrong.

Common Causes of the 500 Error

This fault is a server issue, which is, the fault is not with your computer or internet connection but with the site you are attempting to visit. Common culprits include:

• Corrupted .htaccess File: One of the common causes is a misconfigured or a corrupt .htaccess file.
• Plugin or Theme Conflicts: This error can be caused by incompatible or faulty plugins/themes (on such platform as WordPress).
• Server Permission Issues: Wrong file or folder permissions may prevent the server to read required scripts.
• Exhausted Memory Limit: A php script can exceed the available memory of the server.
• Syntax Errors: Errors within the code files (such as PHP, Python or ruby) may bring down the server.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

In case you are the owner of the site that is experiencing this error, the following steps can be taken to determine and fix the problem.

• Check for Server-Wide Issues: First, make a call to your web hosting company to find out whether there are any current server outages or maintenance.
• Clear Your Browser Cache: In some instances, this error can be as a result of a corrupt file that is in the cache. Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
• Review Recent Changes: Have you recently installed a new software update, theme or a new plugin? Try reverting those changes.
• Check File Permissions: The general settings of critical file permissions ought to be 644 and folders 755.
• Rename the .htaccess File: Rename your .htaccess to .htaccess_old temporarily to test whether that fixes the problem (don't forget to recreate it later).
• Enable Debugging: Turn the debugging on in your CMS (e.g. WordPress) to receive a more precise error message rather than the generic 500.

To the owners of websites, it is important to avoid these kinds of errors, which will result in uptime. It is possible to prevent the issues and to identify them proactively with the help of a comprehensive security and monitoring service. To get to know more about solving server error and site protection, visit the comprehensive guide on the blog of Sitelock.