Website down? The dreaded “HTTP Error 500” strikes!

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The dreaded “HTTP Error 500” can strike fear into the heart of any Web App or eCommerce shop owner.

This error signifies a problem on your server’s end, leaving your visitors frustrated and your business losing revenue.

But what’s going on, and how can you best mitigate it?

HTTP Error 500: A server-side nightmare

Here’s the scenario:

You’re running an online store.

“Clients” are the customers in this scenario. They browse your store using their web browser.

In order to display the products customers are searching for and viewing, the information needs to be requested from the shop.

The shop in this scenario is the “server”, which is where all your website data is stored and where your website is running from.

An “HTTP Error 500” is like a sudden power cut in your shop; everything goes dark. The online version is to display the HTTP Error 500 message.

And the reason… it’s due to an issue within your shop (or in this instance, the “server”).

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These errors are frustrating because they are technical and require in-depth knowledge to fix it.

HTTP Error 500 issues are commonly caused by:

  • Website Software Bugs:
    Changes to your website that don’t function as expected.
  • Server Overload:
    Too many customer’s trying to access your website at once & you don’t have enough resources to cope with three demands.
  • Server Configuration Issues:
    Changes made to the infrastructure running your website.

By understanding these common causes, you can implement mitigation to stop them.

DevOps: A Streamlined Approach

DevOps is a culture and set of practices that promote this collaboration. By automating tasks like testing and deployment, DevOps helps catch bugs early in the development process, reducing the likelihood of website software bugs causing 500 errors.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Building Consistency

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) treats this infrastructure like code, allowing you to define its configuration in files. This ensures consistency and reduces the risk of errors caused by manual server configuration mistakes.

With IaC, if a configuration change is needed, it can be reviewed and tested before deployment, minimizing the chance of a server configuration issue triggering a 500 error.

Managed Service Providers

Sometimes, you need an expert by your side.

Our Managed Hosting & Managed WordPress Hosting are designed to proactively monitor your website’s health, identify potential issues before they snowball into major errors, and have the expertise to troubleshoot and fix server-related problems swiftly.

By leveraging these modern practices, you can create a more robust and resilient web environment, significantly reducing the risk of errors and allowing you to continue running your business.

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