Enabling debugging and error log in WordPress

Sometimes your WordPress site may encounter issues such as plugin conflicts, theme errors, or the dreaded “white screen of death.” To identify the cause, you can enable debugging mode and generate an error log. On ruachost.com, this is done by editing the wp-config.php file.

Why Enable Debugging?

• Helps identify PHP errors, plugin conflicts, or theme issues.
• Provides detailed error messages for troubleshooting.
• Creates a log file (debug.log) for tracking problems over time.

Steps to Enable Debugging Mode

1. Log in to your hosting account (via cPanel or File Manager).

2. Navigate to your WordPress installation directory.

3. Locate and open the wp-config.php file.

4. Add the following lines at the end of the file:

   // Enable WordPress debugging and error log
   define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

   • WP_DEBUG → Turns debugging mode on.
   • WP_DEBUG_LOG → Saves errors to wp-content/debug.log.
   • WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY → Hides errors from visitors (recommended for live sites).

5. Save the file.

6. WordPress will now log all errors in wp-content/debug.log.

Viewing the Error Log

• Go to your WordPress installation folder → wp-content.
• Open the file debug.log.
• Review error messages to identify the source of issues.

Important Notes

• Debugging mode does not fix errors, it only helps identify them.
• Always disable debugging (WP_DEBUG = false) once troubleshooting is complete.
• Keep backups before making changes to configuration files.
• For advanced debugging, consider using the Query Monitor plugin.