Skip to content
W3S101

Testing Your Website

Troubleshooting and Testing Your Website

Section titled “Troubleshooting and Testing Your Website”

When your website isn’t behaving as expected, systematic troubleshooting is key. This chapter covers common issues like a ‘Page cannot be displayed’ error and introduces basic website testing concepts.

Troubleshooting Common Website Issues

Section titled “Troubleshooting Common Website Issues”

Scenario: Users report they can’t access your website, or you encounter an error like ‘Page cannot be displayed’ or ‘This site can’t be reached’.

Step 1: Initial Client-Side Checks

Section titled “Step 1: Initial Client-Side Checks”
  • Check Internet Connection: Ensure your own internet connection is working by trying to visit other websites.
  • Try a Different Browser/Incognito Mode: Browser extensions or cache issues can sometimes cause problems. Testing in a different browser or an incognito/private window can help isolate this.
  • Clear Browser Cache and Cookies: Outdated cached files can lead to display issues.
  • Check Browser Developer Tools: Open your browser’s developer tools (usually F12). The ‘Console’ tab may show JavaScript errors, and the ‘Network’ tab can reveal failed resource loads or HTTP error codes.
  • Is it Down for Everyone? Use a service like downforeveryoneorjustme.com to check if the site is inaccessible globally or just for you.

Step 2: Check Domain and Hosting Status

Section titled “Step 2: Check Domain and Hosting Status”
  • Domain Expiry: Verify with your domain registrar that your domain name registration hasn’t expired.
  • Hosting Plan Expiry/Issues: Check with your hosting provider if your hosting plan is active and if there are any account-related issues or server outages.

Step 3: Investigate DNS Issues

Section titled “Step 3: Investigate DNS Issues”

DNS (Domain Name System) problems can prevent browsers from finding your server. If you see ‘Ping request could not find host yourdomainname.com’ (as depicted in the image below) or similar errors, it suggests a DNS resolution failure.

  • Use ping: Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and type ping yourdomain.com. If it can’t find the host, there’s a DNS issue or the server is down.
  • Use nslookup or dig: These tools provide more detailed DNS information (e.g., nslookup yourdomain.com). Check if the IP address returned is correct.
  • DNS Propagation: If you recently changed DNS records (e.g., moved to a new host), it can take up to 48 hours for changes to propagate globally.

A successful ping, as shown in the next image, indicates that DNS is resolving correctly and your server is reachable on the network.

Step 4: Check for Server-Side and Application Errors

Section titled “Step 4: Check for Server-Side and Application Errors”
  • Database Connection Errors: Errors like ‘Error establishing a database connection’ (common in WordPress, potentially shown in the images below) mean your website can’t communicate with its database. Check database credentials (username, password, host, database name) in your site’s configuration file (e.g., wp-config.php), ensure the database server is running, and that the database user has correct permissions.
  • HTTP Error Codes: Pay attention to HTTP status codes:
    • 404 Not Found: The requested resource (page, image) doesn’t exist on the server. Check URLs for typos, ensure files are in the correct location, and review server configuration (e.g., .htaccess rules for Apache). An example 404 page is shown in an image further down.
    • 500 Internal Server Error: A generic server-side error. Check server error logs (Apache, Nginx, PHP error logs) for specific details. This could be due to script errors, incorrect file permissions, or resource limits.
    • 502 Bad Gateway / 503 Service Unavailable / 504 Gateway Timeout: Often indicate issues with upstream servers, proxies, or an overloaded server.
  • Check Server Logs: Your web server (Apache, Nginx) and application (PHP, Node.js, etc.) logs are invaluable for diagnosing server-side problems. They usually provide detailed error messages.

If you encounter a 404 Error (Not Found) as depicted below, ensure your site’s directory structure is correct and web server is configured to serve files from the intended root folder (e.g., public_html or www).

Introduction to Website Testing

Section titled “Introduction to Website Testing”

Beyond troubleshooting, proactive testing is crucial for a quality website. Key types of testing include:

  • Functional Testing: Verifying that all features (forms, links, buttons, user registration, etc.) work as intended.
  • Usability Testing: Assessing how easy and intuitive the website is for users to navigate and achieve their goals.
  • Compatibility Testing: Ensuring the website displays and functions correctly across different web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), devices (desktop, tablet, mobile - responsive design), and operating systems.
  • Performance Testing: Measuring website speed and responsiveness. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and WebPageTest can identify bottlenecks affecting load time.
  • Accessibility Testing (A11y): Checking if the website is usable by people with disabilities, following WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
  • Security Testing: Identifying and mitigating potential security vulnerabilities (e.g., XSS, SQL injection). This can range from basic checks to comprehensive penetration testing.