Common WordPress Errors and How to Avoid Them

WordPress powers over 40% of websites globally, making it a popular choice for ecommerce businesses thanks to its flexibility and robust plugin ecosystem. At SkyVerge, we help harness the power of platforms like WooCommerce to turn WordPress into a full-featured online store, enabling businesses to manage everything from inventory to payments. However, its flexibility also means encountering occasional errors, so we’ve provided a guide to some of the most common WordPress errors and effective strategies to prevent or resolve them.

1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

The WSOD often occurs due to plugin or theme conflicts, coding errors, or memory limits. To resolve it:

• Disable plugins: Access your site via FTP and navigate to the wp-content folder. Rename the plugins folder temporarily to disable all plugins. Refresh your website in a private browsing window. If the site loads, re-enable plugins one at a time to identify the culprit.
• Switch to a default WordPress theme: If you still see the WSOD, the issue may be caused by your active theme. To test, you can change to one of the default WordPress themes, like TwentyTwenty or TwentyTwentyOne, and use private browsing mode to check if the WSOD is gone.
  

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2. Slow Website Performance

Slow loading speeds can harm user experience and SEO rankings. Common causes include large media files, outdated plugins, and poor hosting. To speed up your site:

• Compress images with plugins: Compressing images using lossless compression is one of the simplest ways to speed up your website without compromising quality. This reduces file sizes by 20–50%, cutting page load times by up to 2 seconds. Faster pages not only improve user experience but can also reduce bounce rates, making a noticeable impact on your site’s performance and customer satisfaction. You can use plugins like Smush or ShortPixel to compress your images.
• Use caching: A caching works by pre-building your site’s pages, so when a visitor lands on your site, the server doesn’t have to process each request in real time. This significantly reduces page load times and provides a smoother user experience. Plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache are great ways to cache your website.

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3. Database Connection Errors

The “Error Establishing a Database Connection” usually occurs when WordPress cannot connect to the database due to incorrect credentials, a crashed database, or server issues.

• Check your database credentials: A common cause of the database connection error is incorrect credentials in the wp-config.php file, often occurring after a site migration. To check, locate this file in your main WordPress directory using FTP, cPanel, or your hosting provider’s file manager. Verify that the values for DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST match the credentials found in your hosting control panel under the databases or MySQL section.
• Update your WordPress Site URL: If your site URL has changed, such as moving to a new domain or switching to HTTPS, it may prevent your website from connecting to the database. To resolve this, update the URL directly in the database. Open phpMyAdmin, select your database, go to the SQL tab, and run the query: UPDATE wp_options SET option_value='YOUR_SITE_URL' WHERE option_name='siteurl‘; Make sure to replace 'YOUR_SITE_URL' with your new site URL before executing.

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4. Plugin Conflicts

Using multiple plugins can lead to conflicts that slow your site or cause errors. Minimize issues by:

• Keeping plugins updated and deleting unused ones: Many plugins add additional Javascript and CSS lines into your code, so if you’re not using a plugin, get rid of it. It will just clutter up your site and create lag. Note that some plugins keep code in your site even when inactive, so if you’re not using it, delete it completely.
• Test new plugins on a staging site: Testing a new plugin on a staging site ensures compatibility without risking your live website. After setting up the staging site, install the plugin, activate it, and test its features to check for functionality and compatibility with your theme and other plugins. This process helps identify and address potential issues in a controlled environment before deploying the plugin live.

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5. 404 Errors

Fixing 404 errors on WordPress posts often involves addressing permalink settings and potential file issues. Minimize disruptions by:

• Checking for Plugin Conflicts: Temporarily disable all plugins, then reactivate them one by one to pinpoint conflicts that might be causing the error. To do this, follow the steps outlined above.
• Refreshing Permalink Settings: Navigate to Settings > Permalinks in WordPress and click “Save Changes” to reset the structure without making edits. This can resolve most 404 errors quickly.
• Regenerate the .htaccess File: regenerating the .htaccess file can often resolve the issue. To do this, locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory and replace its contents with the default WordPress rewrite rules. Ensure the file permissions are set to 644 to maintain security while allowing WordPress to make updates. Always back up the original .htaccess file before making changes to avoid accidental data loss.

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Encountering common WordPress errors is inevitable for site owners, but with the right strategies, these issues can be quickly resolved. Regular maintenance, such as updating plugins, optimizing performance, and backing up your site, can prevent many problems before they arise. By understanding how to address these errors effectively, you can ensure your WordPress site runs smoothly and continues to support your business goals.