500
Internal Server Error
The server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request. This is a generic catch-all error — the server crashed, threw an unhandled exception, or hit an unexpected state.
What does HTTP 500 mean?
The server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request. This is a generic catch-all error — the server crashed, threw an unhandled exception, or hit an unexpected state.
Common causes
- 1
An unhandled exception in the application code — null pointer, division by zero, failed type cast, or any uncaught runtime error.
- 2
A database connection failure, query error, or migration mismatch causing the ORM to crash.
- 3
A misconfigured server — missing environment variables, invalid config files, or a failed deployment that left the server in a broken state.
How to fix it
- 1
Check the server logs immediately. The 500 response hides the real error — the stack trace in logs reveals the root cause.
- 2
If the error started after a deployment, roll back to the previous version and investigate the diff for breaking changes.
- 3
Test your database connection and check for missing migrations. A common cause is a schema mismatch between code and database.
Monitor for HTTP 500 errors
A 500 error is the most critical signal that something is broken in production. Uptrack checks every 30 seconds and alerts you within a minute — often before any user reports the issue.
Catch HTTP errors before your users do
20 monitors free — 10 at 30s, 10 at 1min. No credit card required.
Start Monitoring Free