Solution:
A 500 error usually means there’s a code issue or a server configuration error. Here are several ways to debug it:
1. Enable error reporting
- In your php.ini or at the top of your script:
<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
?>
2. Test with simpler code
- Run a minimal PHP script to confirm whether the issue is with your server setup or your code.
3. Use Xdebug
- Step through the code to locate exactly where it’s failing.
- Consider wrapping code in try/catch blocks to capture more detail about the error.
4. Check server logs
- Look at Apache/Nginx/PHP error logs for detailed messages.
5. Write unit tests
- Isolate and test small parts of your code to pinpoint the failing section.
6. Use debug output
- Insert echo or var_dump() statements to trace execution flow and inspect variable states.