How to Set Up and Access WordPress Logs (Complete Guide)

Bugs and glitches in your website will make you dissatisfied and will make you feel that there are problems with the backend of the website.

No software is perfect. when WordPress relies on various themes and plugins, problems or bugs may occur from time to time. Maintaining and reviewing error logs is an effective way to monitor and troubleshoot potential website issues.

There are several ways to set up and access WordPress error logs. In this article, you will be shown how toEnabling and Accessing WordPress Error LogsThe

What are WordPress logs? Why are they so important for troubleshooting?

Error logs are tools for tracking and monitoring website problems by logging simple text files on the web server. These files are updated as errors occur, making it easy to identify and analyze problems.

The error log contains error messages along with the date and time they occurred. By enabling WordPress Debug Mode, these errors are collected in a file for easy viewing.

The WordPress error log is an invaluable troubleshooting tool as it can help identify problematic plugins, themes or code.

By looking at the error log, you can locate common WordPress ErrorFor example WordPress White Screen of Death408 request timeout error or SSH connection denied errorThe

Next, let's see how to find and access WordPress error logs.

How do I enable WordPress logging?

The first step is to activate WordPress Debug Mode, which can be done via a plugin or by adding specific code.

Method 1: Enable WordPress Debug Mode with a Plugin
By default, WordPress does not enable error logging because debugging mode is turned off. To enable error logging, you first need to install a WordPress debugging plugin, for example WP Debugging plug-in or other debugging plug-ins. It is also possible to use the WordPress Query Monitor plugin to debug WordPress websites.

After successfully activating the plugin, it willAutomatically Enable WordPress Debug ModeThis records and saves error information on the site for analysis and troubleshooting purposes.

Method 2: Enable WordPress Debug Mode with Code

can be accessed and modified via sFTP wp-config.php file to enable error logging and WordPress debug mode.

take note of: This method requires extra care, as an error in the code could have a serious impact on the site.

Step 1: Connect to the website via sFTP

1. Enable the sFTP function of the website.

• go into My Site(s) → Settings → Hosting ConfigurationThe
• Click "Enable SFTP"Button.
• The sFTP login information will be obtained, including URL, port number, username and password.

2. Use of images FileZilla FTP software like this connects to the site with these credentials.

Step 2: Locate and download wp-config.php file

1. Locate the wp-config.php Documentation.
2. Download a copy of the file as a backup.

Step 3: Editing wp-config.php file

1. Open with a text editor (e.g. Notepad) wp-config.php Documentation.
2. Find the following line of code:

define('WP_DEBUG', false).

and replace it with the following line of code:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);


if (WP_DEBUG) {


       @error_reporting(E_ALL).


       @ini_set('log_errors', true).


       @ini_set('log_errors_max_len', '0');


       define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);


       define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);


       define('CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS', false);


       define('SAVEQUERIES', true);


}

3. Save the file and upload it back to the root directory of the website.

important reminder: After debugging is complete, be sure to disable this feature, as enabling debug mode for an extended period of time may make the site more susceptible to hacker attacks.

How do I turn off WordPress Debug Mode?

To improve WordPress performance and security, we recommend turning off debug mode after troubleshooting an issue. Leaving debug mode on for an extended period of time may slow down your site or even expose sensitive information.

If debug mode is enabled by code

To turn off error logging, simply remove the previously added code and restore the following code to its default value:

define('WP_DEBUG', false).

If debug mode is enabled via the plugin

Debug mode can be turned off by following the steps below:

1. go into Plugins Page.
2. locate WP Debugging plugin and just deactivate it.

How do I find or access WordPress error logs?

When WordPress debug mode is enabled, the site needs to be loaded to trigger an error code, which will be logged in the file named debug.log in the file. To access the file via sFTP, you can follow the previously mentioned steps.

Locating the debug.log file

1. Navigate to the root directory of the wp-content Folder.
2. If there is an error, you can see the debug.log file; if there are no errors, the file will not appear, indicating that the site is working properly.

Viewing the debug.log file

1. locate debug.log file and then download it to your computer.
2. Open the file with text editing software (e.g. Notepad) to view the complete contents of the log.

Log files contain important information that can help quickly pinpoint the source of a problem.

How to Fix Problems Found in WordPress Error Logs

debug.log The file provides important information about errors and warnings on the site, but the file should not be edited directly, but used as a reference to easily identify problems in the site, theme, plugin, or code.

Steps to use the debug.log file

1. Positioning errors or warnings
   Browse the log files for logged errors or warnings.
2. Logging Error Codes
   Note the error code associated with the error entry.
3. Finding the meaning of an error code
   Search for the error code for details on the specific problem.
4. Check out related guides or resources
   Based on the error code, find out exactly how to solve the problem.

Contents of the debug.log file

Each entry in the log typically includes the following information:

• Date and time
• module (in software)
• Process ID
• IP address of the visitor

The most important part, however, is the misinformation itself. For example:

• “File not found"(Document not found) error, usually indicating that a file is missing, and the file path will be provided.
• tip-off error(e.g. "bot detected for vhost") may indicate that the server closed the connection. The log will further indicate the reason, such as the detection of a potentially harmful bot.

Common ways to fix errors

• Updates the paths of files that have been moved or deleted.
• If it is a server error, take appropriate action based on the details provided by the log.

important reminder::debug.log The file is for troubleshooting only, do not modify it directly. It is a tool for diagnosing and solving website problems.

How to Identify and Solve Performance-Related Problems with Error Logs

There are various types of issues that can appear in WordPress error logs, and while it's impossible to list them all, an example will give you an idea of how you can utilize the error logs to identify and resolve performance-related issues.

Example: Permission Error

Permission errors trigger PHP warnings in the error log. This error usually occurs when a file is accessed with the wrong permissions.

A common scenario is not resetting permissions in the wp-admin dashboard after uploading a file via sFTP, resulting in incorrectly set file permissions. To resolve such issues, verify that the file mentioned in the log exists.

Example 1

PHP Warning: The stream could not be opened for writing to the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content/themes/badperms/lib/css/theme.css" due to permission denied. This error originated in the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content/themes/WFTDAtv/lib/less/lessc.inc.php" on line 1418...

Example 2:

[Sat May 31 21:30:22 2023] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] PHP Warning: The stream could not be opened for writing to the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content /themes/yoo_phoenix_wp/cache/xml-80a72b04a693554d055946d5ad954588.php" due to permission denied. This error occurred in the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content". yourblog/wp-content/themes/yoo_regvis_wp/warp/helpers/xml.php" on line 34. Referring page: http://example.com/wp-admin/customize.php

Example 3:

PHP Warning: Failed to open the stream for writing to the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content/cache/autoptimize/autoptimize_ f7d7e4c8e9a3146b6b514d7e7f9e2468.php" due to permission denied. This error originated in the file "/path/to/yourblog/wp-content/cache/autoptimize/autoptimize_f7d7e4c8e9a3146b6b514d7e7f9e2468.php". plugin_folder/plugin_file.php" on line 22....

summarize

WordPress error logs play a vital role in efficient troubleshooting and maintaining a reliable online experience. They help identify and resolve errors in a timely manner, thereby protecting the visitor experience. In addition, backup and testing environments act as safety nets that can undo errors in the event of a problem, ensuring a stable website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where can I find the WordPress log?
A: To access the error log, go to the file manager in the /wp-content/ Folder, Find debug.log File. This file stores all logged WordPress errors for easy review and troubleshooting.

Q: What is a WordPress log?
A: The WordPress Error Log is an invaluable troubleshooting tool that can help identify the source of problems triggered by plugins, themes, or code.

Q: What is the WordPress Debug Log?
A: WordPress provides a built-in debugging tool to help identify the root cause of website errors. While it can provide useful information, it is not recommended to enable debugging on publicly available online sites due to potential security risks.

Q: Is it safe to edit errors directly in WordPress log files?
A: While it is possible to edit files, it is usually not recommended. Direct editing may introduce new errors or remove important information, which is risky.

Q: Can I delete WordPress error logs?
A: It is possible to delete the error log file, but please note that this will clear all logged errors.

Q: Does WordPress have an activity log?
A: Yes, WordPress has activity logs for logging user actions and system events. It can be accessed from the administrator dashboard via the "artifact" -> "Activity Log"Access.

Q: Where is the PHP error log in WordPress?
A: PHP error logs are usually found in the root directory of a WordPress installation in a file named wp-content/debug.logThe