Server error (5xx) is a common error that webmasters will be alerted about through Google Search Console.
But what is it, and how exactly can you fix 5XX errors when they occur on your website?
A server error occurs when a server is unable to complete a client’s request. When these errors come from Google Search Console, that means that a website has been unable to complete the request from one of Google’s crawl bots.
5XX means that the HTTP status code could be any number of status code errors – all beginning with the number 5. That could be a 500, 502, 503, 504 etc. error code. In this article, we’ll look at the different types of 5xx errors, how you can troubleshoot them, and what you can do to maintain a healthy 5xx free website.
What is a 5xx server error?
A 5xx error code occurs when a server does not support the functionality that is required to process a client’s request.
5xx errors refer to any HTTP status code that begins with the number 5. To understand the nature of 5XX server errors, you need to look at the type of code that is displayed. The code will specify the type of error that is occurring and what you can do to fix the issue.
What are the different types of 5xx status codes?
As we mentioned above, 5xx server error could mean one of many different errors have occurred. The different error codes include:
500 – Internal Server Error
The 500 Internal Server Error code is a general HTTP status code that indicates that someone has gone wrong with a website’s server. 500 error codes are server-side errors which means that the issue exists with the server – not with the website. Since the error exists with the server, it is important to look at things like server load and capabilities to ensure that the server is up to the task of your website.
501 – Not Implemented
The 501-status code means that the server does not support the functionality that is required to fulfil the request that has been placed. This typically occurs because the server is not able to support an HTTP resource or method.
If you are getting a 501-error code – typically these show in Google Search Console, then it is important to check that your request uses a supported HTTP method and resource.
502 – Bad Gateway
A 502 Bad Gateway status means that one server has received a bad request from another server on the internet. There are a number of different reasons why a 502-server error may occur including a misconfigured firewall or proxy, DNS issue, or an overloaded server can be responsible for causing a 502 bad gateway error.
503 – Service Unavailable
The 503-service unavailable error indicates that a server is temporarily unavailable to handle a request. The 503 error typically indicates that a server is undergoing maintenance or under extreme load and cannot currently process your request.
504 – Gateway Timeout
504 Gateway Timeout error means that the server has tried to access another server in order to complete a request and has been unsuccessful in doing so. 504 errors can be triggered for a number of different reasons including high network traffic, DNS issues, or an issue with site content.
Generally, 504 gateway errors are temporary and can be rectified by waiting a few minutes to process another request.
505 – HTTP Version not Supported
The 506 variant Also Negotiates status code error occurs when a server has an internal configuration error. This means that the variant resource is configured to engage in transparent content negotiation itself and (as a result) is not a proper end point in the negotiation process.
507 – Insufficient Storage
The 507 Insufficient Storage status code signifies that the method could not be performed on the resource because the server is unable to store the representation that is required to successfully complete the request. The 507-error code is a temporary error code which is triggered by a user action (such as a post request on your CMS) and relates to insufficient storage space issues.
508 – Loop Detected
The 508 Loop Detected error code indicates that a loop has been detected in the system. 508 status code errors typically occur when two or more devices are trying to communicate with each other but are unable to do so because an infinite loop exists.
If you are experiencing the 508 error, you should purge your caching plugins, check your .htaccess file, or get in touch with your website host. 508 error codes require immediate attention to resolve.
510 – Not Extended
The 510 Not Extended status code indicates that a server has been unable to extend your request. If you are experiencing a 510-status code error, you should check to make sure that the extension that you are using is supported by the server. In some cases, you may need to reach out to the server administrator to enable an extension on your behalf.
511 – Network Authentication Required
The 511 Network Authentication Required status code means that the website that you are trying to access requires a login. This may occur on sites that are hidden by a paywall or staging websites that have restricted access. If you have a username or password for the website in question, you can try entering them to gain access to the site.
What is the most common 5XX error?
There is no “most common 5xx error” it depends on a number of different factors such as your programming language, application (CMS), plugins, content delivery network, and so on and so forth.
5xx errors can occur for a myriad of different reasons, so it’s important to monitor any 5xx errors that you see through programs such as Google search console.
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If you see the same error codes across multiple pages on different occasions, then you need to understand why the error codes are occurring and what you can do to rectify them. If you do not have the ability to troubleshoot 5xx errors, you should contact your developer, system administrator, or SEO provider to help you work through any issues.
In many cases, the 5xx error notifications displayed in third party programs are the result of an isolated incident. As an SEO Agency, we receive multiple 5xx error notifications from search console accounts each month. I
How do I fix a 5xx server error?
Fixing 5xx server errors as they occur can have a positive impact on user experience, SEO, and overall website performance. As such, it’s important to monitor 5xx server errors and fix them as soon as they appear in your Google search console.
Some steps that you can take:
• Firstly verify that page by checking it in a browser to make sure that the 5XX error appears on the front end.
• If the issue persists, clear your books and delete the cache files from your browser
• If the situation persists, you may need to upgrade your server.
In some cases, there may be underlying server or program issue that require attention, while in other cases it may be a one-off or isolate incident. If incidents are triggered by Google’s crawl bots, we always look for patterns to understand whether these are a sign of larger issues, or whether this was a crawl anomaly that can be disregarded.
