Debugging in WordPress

Debugging is a diagnostic process that helps identify and locate errors in your WordPress site. It’s important to understand that debugging itself does not fix issues; rather, it provides valuable information to guide your troubleshooting efforts. When you enable debugging, WordPress logs detailed error messages, warnings, and notices. These logs serve as clues to pinpoint the source of problems, whether they stem from themes, plugins, or WordPress core files. With this information, you can take targeted steps to resolve the issues, such as updating a plugin, modifying a theme, or seeking further assistance from developers or the WordPress community.

This guide, enhanced with insights from the official WordPress documentation, will walk you through setting up your WordPress site for effective debugging. Remember, debugging is a diagnostic tool, not a one-click solution. It’s a crucial first step in understanding and resolving issues on your WordPress site.

Accessing and Editing wp-config.php

The

Using FTP:

  1. Use an FTP client to connect to your website’s server. Some popular free FTP clients include:
  2. Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation.
  3. Locate the wp-config.php file.

Using Hosting File Manager:

  1. Log in to your website hosting account.
  2. Look for a section named “File Manager” or something similar in your hosting control panel.
  3. Use the File Manager to navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation.
  4. Locate the wp-config.php file.

Downloading and Editing the File:

  1. Whether using FTP or the Hosting File Manager, download the wp-config.php file to your local computer.
  2. Open the downloaded file with a text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit).

Insert the following lines:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true );

Place these lines before /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */.

Upload the File:
Save your changes and upload the file back to the root directory of your WordPress installation, overwriting the existing version.

Understanding Notices, Warnings, and Errors

Notices are minor issues, often non-critical, suggesting improvements or potential problems.
Warnings are more significant than notices but usually don’t stop WordPress from functioning.
Errors are critical problems that can impair site functionality.

While notices and warnings might seem concerning, they often don’t signify a serious problem. Prioritizing these based on severity is crucial.

Troubleshooting Using Debug Information

With debugging enabled, your site will directly display errors, or they will be logged in the debug.log file within the wp-content directory. You can use this information to:

  • Troubleshoot issues yourself by researching the error messages.
  • Consult with a developer. It’s best to reach out to a developer who specializes in the area related to the error. For example: Theme-related issues should be addressed to the theme developer.
  • Plugin-related errors are best handled by the plugin author.
  • For core WordPress issues, a WordPress developer or the WordPress community forums can be helpful.

Concluding the Debugging Process

After resolving the issues, it’s important to disable debugging, especially for live sites:

Re-edit the wp-config.php file, setting the values to false:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', false );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
@ini_set( 'display_errors', 0 );

Upload the wp-config.php file back to the server, overwriting the existing version.

Disabling debugging ensures your site runs efficiently and remains secure. By following these steps, even non-programmers can effectively diagnose and resolve issues on their WordPress site. Remember, always diable debugging after you’re done to maintain your site’s performance and security.