What it means
The server hit an unexpected condition and could not complete the request. It is a generic catch-all for server-side errors.
Common causes
- Unhandled exception or bug in application code
- Misconfiguration, such as a bad .htaccess or missing environment variable
- Database or dependency failure not mapped to a better status
How to fix it
As a client or visitor
Retry later; if it persists, report it with the time and any request id from the response.
As the site or API owner
Check application and server error logs, fix the exception, and return more specific codes (502, 503, 504) when the cause is known.
Example response
HTTP/1.1
HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error
Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:30:00 GMT
Server: nginx
Content-Type: application/problem+json
{
"type": "about:blank",
"title": "Internal Server Error",
"status": 500,
"detail": "Something went wrong. Request id: 01J9Z6Q4K2."
}Specification
FAQ
› How do I find the cause of a 500?
Check the server or application error log for the stack trace at the time of the request; enable debug mode only in development.
› Can a .htaccess file cause 500?
Yes. A syntax error or unknown directive in .htaccess makes Apache answer 500.