PHP classifies errors by severity — fatal errors halt execution, warnings indicate something is likely wrong, and notices flag potential problems that may not break your script. Each entry below covers the most common PHP engine errors with copy-paste fixes.
Error Codes
| Error | Description | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal Error | Uncaught error, out of memory, or undefined function call that halts execution | Enable error reporting, add try/catch blocks, and increase memory_limit in php.ini |
| Notice: Undefined Index | Accessing an array key that does not exist | Use isset() or the null coalescing operator ?? to check before accessing |
| Parse Error | Syntax error caught before execution — missing semicolons, unmatched brackets | Review the reported line number, check for typos, and use an IDE with syntax highlighting |
Quick Debug
// Show all errors during development
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('display_startup_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);