The DIY Guide to Troubleshooting WordPress Errors

by | Oct 7, 2023 | 0 comments

As a WordPress user, the likelihood of your website experiencing errors at some point is practically inevitable. However, understanding how to troubleshoot these errors can make your experience smoother and less stressful. This guide will take you through step-by-step procedures on how to troubleshoot common WordPress errors effectively.

Understanding WordPress Error Logs

WordPress comes with a built-in debugging system. This system is essential in understanding the cause of the errors your website is experiencing. The error logs provide detailed information about these errors which will help you figure out how to fix them.

Enabling WordPress Debug Mode

To enable WordPress Debug Mode, you have to modify your wp-config.php file. This file is located in your WordPress root directory which you can access either via FTP or by using a plugin like WP File Manager.

You need to insert the following line of code to your wp-config.php file:

define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );

This will cause your WordPress installation to store all errors in a debug.log file located inside the /wp-content directory. After you have enabled WP_DEBUG_LOG, save the wp-config file and try to reload your broken site so that it will store the error information into your debug log.

A screenshot showing the WordPress debug log file

In the screenshot above, you can see the name of the undefined function that is being called (in this case, called non_existent_function() that was created to showcase this error) as well as the file that the function is being referenced in as well as the line number (in this example, /wp-content/themes/visualize/functions.php on line 314).

Interpreting Error Messages

Once you have your error logs, it’s time to interpret the errors. The error message will typically include the function that caused the error, the error message, and the path to the file that caused the error.

Understanding these messages is the key to identifying and resolving the issue. Let’s delve into some common WordPress error messages and what they might mean.

Example 1: Undefined Function Error

An “Undefined function” error looks something like this:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function fictitious_function() in /home/yourwebsite/public_html/wp-content/themes/yourtheme/functions.php on line 123

Screenshot of an unreferenced function fatal error in WordPress

This error usually occurs when a WordPress Plugin or Theme uses a function that doesn’t exist, either because it’s misspelled, or the plugin or theme that defines the function is deactivated or deleted. A common example of this happening would be if your site’s theme is referencing a plugin that is not installed. Sometimes a theme might come bundled with a plugin like RevSlider or WPBakery’s Visual Composer and make reference to functions from those plugins. If your theme is referencing one of the functions and those plugins aren’t active on your site, you might see one of these undefined function fatal errors.

Example 2: Memory Exhausted Error

The “Memory exhausted” error typically appears as follows:

Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 2348617 bytes) in /home4/yourwebsite/public_html/wp-includes/plugin.php on line 1000

Screenshot of a WordPress website displaying a fatal error due to memory exhausted

This error occurs when your WordPress installation doesn’t have enough memory to achieve what you want. It could be a result of a plugin, theme, or script that’s exhausting the default memory size limit. This type of error is most often seen on shared website hosting platforms or weak servers but can also be seen when heavy, poor, or unoptimized code is being run on your website and the server doesn’t have enough memory to complete the process.

Example 3: Syntax Error

A “Syntax error” could be displayed like this:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘,’ in /home/yourwebsite/public_html/wp-content/plugins/your-plugin/your-plugin.php on line 229

Screenshot of a WordPress website showing a fatal error due to a syntax error in functions.php

This error generally occurs when there’s a mistake in your code’s syntax. It might be due to a missing comma, bracket, or quotation mark. The error message points out the file and line number where the mistake is located, making it easier to fix. This is one of the easiest fixes for DIY’ers because you don’t really need to know how to code to fix a syntax error, you just need to know how to read it.

By familiarizing yourself with these common WordPress errors and knowing what they typically mean, you’re one step closer to solving any WordPress issue that comes your way.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting WordPress errors can seem like a daunting task, but once you understand how to use WordPress Debug Mode and interpret error messages, it becomes a straightforward process. Remember to always back up your site before making any changes to your files. Don’t forget, our expert WordPress developers at WP Medic are always available to help you with any issues you may encounter! If this seems like too much to take on yourself, consider using our WordPress error fixing service. We offer both emergency error fixing services (an on-demand service which usually resolves the error in under an hour) and standard error fixing services which are scheduled in the same week, making it a more cost effective solution.

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