What Are 5xx Server Errors and How to Get Rid of Them?

An HTTP status code is the server’s response to a client request (browser or search engine). These codes consist of three digits and indicate whether a particular HTTP request was completed successfully. The first number, which can range from 1xx to 5xx, defines the category of the response.

1. Informational response (100-199)
2. Success (200-299)
3. Redirects (300-399)
4. Client errors (400-499)
5. Server errors (500-599)

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What Is the 5xx Server Error

5xx codes occur when the server does not support the functionality required to handle visitor requests. Simply put, the server is faulty. Most of the time, the problem comes from an overly congested server, a network error, a problem with the webserver, or an error executing the HTTP request.

5xx Status Codes

The following is a list of 5xx server error codes and a brief description of what they mean.

500 – Internal Server Error

This is a generic error message that indicates a problem with the website server, but the server cannot specify the specific problem.

501 – Not Implemented

The server running the site does not understand or support the HTTP method sent by the client. This code usually implies future availability.

502 – Bad Gateway

This code indicates that a server acting as a gateway or proxy received an invalid response from an upstream server.

503 – Service Unavailable

The server was unable to process the request due to temporary server overload or maintenance. When this code appears, Google understands that you’re having a temporary problem and won’t penalize your site or de-index your pages.

504 – Gateway Timeout

The server did not receive a timely response from another server acting as a gateway or proxy and could not complete the client’s request within the given time frame.

505 – HTTP Version Not Supported

This error occurs when the server does not support the HTTP protocol version used in the browser request.

506 – Variants Are Also Negotiating

This code indicates that the internal server is misconfigured. The server detected a circular reference while processing the negotiated portion of the requested content.

507 – Not Enough Storage Space

This status code is returned when the server cannot create or modify the requested resource because there is insufficient storage space available. Just like a 503 server error, this is a temporary situation.

508 – Loop Detected

This error occurs when the server tries to process a request and finds an infinite loop. This code shows that the entire operation failed.

510 – Unextended

The browser does not have the necessary extensions to understand the request.

511 – Network Authentication Required

This error occurs when the client (browser) needs to authenticate to gain access to the network. The response representation should contain a link to a resource that allows the user to send their credentials.

How to Fix 5xx Server Error

Here is how to fix the 5xx server errors.

1. Check the server’s error log. By performing log file analysis, you can obtain additional information about error status codes.
2. Make sure your server is not overloaded or misconfigured. In this case, you need to check with your developer or contact your hosting provider.
3. Look at your recent changes to see if any of these might be the cause. Occasionally, plugin issues (such as installation errors or incompatibilities) can cause errors. Deactivate the plugin and check if the error goes away. In this case, activate the plugins one by one to detect which plugin is causing the problem.

Final Words

Here is all information about the 5xx server error. You have known what it is and how to get rid of it.