Back to all status codes

500

Internal Server Error

Server Error
RFC 7231

The server has encountered a situation it does not know how to handle.

Detailed Information

The 500 status code indicates that the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request. This is a generic error response when no other specific 5xx error is suitable.

Common Examples

  • Database connection failures
  • Unhandled exceptions in server code
  • Server configuration issues

Common Uses

  • Generic server-side error handling
  • Unexpected runtime errors
  • System overload situations

Best Practices

  • Log detailed error information server-side
  • Provide generic error message to users
  • Implement proper error monitoring

Additional Resources

Read more on MDN