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Why isn't my PHP working on a live server?

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Vinh Jacker
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2 min read

If your PHP code is not working on a live server, there could be several reasons for the issue. Here are some common troubleshooting steps to help you identify and fix the problem:

  1. File Extension and Configuration:

    • Ensure that your PHP files have the ".php" extension.

    • Check if your web server is configured to handle PHP files. The server should have PHP installed and configured correctly.

  2. PHP Tags:

    • Make sure you are using the correct PHP tags. PHP code can be enclosed in <?php ... ?> tags or <? ... ?> short tags, but the latter might not be enabled on all servers.

  3. Syntax Errors:

    • Check your PHP code for syntax errors. Even a small syntax error can cause the entire script not to execute. You can look for error messages in your server's error logs or enable error reporting in your PHP script.

  4. PHP Version Compatibility:

    • Verify that the version of PHP on your live server is compatible with the PHP code you've written. Older PHP versions may not support certain syntax or functions used in newer code.

  5. File Permissions:

    • Ensure that the file and directory permissions are set correctly. The web server must have permission to read and execute PHP files.

  6. Server Configuration:

    • Check the server's configuration files (e.g., php.ini) for any misconfigurations that might be affecting PHP execution.

  7. URL Structure:

    • Confirm that you are accessing the correct URL. Ensure that the URL matches the file structure on the server.

  8. Error Reporting:

    • Enable error reporting in your PHP script to see if there are any specific error messages. You can do this by adding the following lines at the beginning of your PHP file:

        phpCopy codeerror_reporting(E_ALL);
  ini_set('display_errors', 1);

  9. Server Logs:

    • Check the server error logs for any messages related to PHP. These logs can provide valuable information about what might be going wrong.

By systematically going through these steps, you should be able to identify the issue causing your PHP code not to work on the live server and take appropriate action to resolve it.

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