Setting DEBUG = False causes 500 Error

Why does setting DEBUG = False cause a 500 Error?

If you are a developer using Django, you may have encountered a situation where setting DEBUG = False in your settings file caused a 500 Error. This can be frustrating, especially if there is no error information in the Apache error log. But fear not, we are here to help you understand and solve this issue!

Common Issues

There are a few common issues that can cause a 500 Error when DEBUG is set to False:

1. Missing ALLOWED_HOSTS: When DEBUG is set to False, Django requires you to specify a list of allowed hosts in the ALLOWED_HOSTS setting. If this setting is missing or does not include the host you are trying to access, Django will raise a 500 Error. Example:

   ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['www.example.com']

2. Static files not serving: When DEBUG is set to False, Django no longer serves static files automatically. You need to configure your static file serving manually. Example:

   STATIC_ROOT = '/path/to/static/files' STATIC_URL = '/static/'

   Make sure you also have the collectstatic command configured in your deployment process to collect static files to the STATIC_ROOT directory.

Easy Solutions

To solve the issue of a 500 Error when DEBUG is set to False, follow these steps:

1. Add allowed hosts: Open your settings file and add your host to the ALLOWED_HOSTS setting, like this:

   ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['www.example.com']

   If you have multiple hosts, you can add them to the list as well. Make sure to restart your server after making this change.

2. Configure static files serving: Create a directory on your server to store the static files (e.g., /path/to/static/files). In your settings file, add the following lines:

   STATIC_ROOT = '/path/to/static/files' STATIC_URL = '/static/'

   Make sure to replace /path/to/static/files with the actual path to your static files directory. Again, restart your server after making this change.

   Additionally, make sure to run the collectstatic command during your deployment process to collect static files to the STATIC_ROOT directory.

Call-to-Action

We hope this guide has helped you understand and solve the issue of a 500 Error when DEBUG is set to False in Django. Remember to check if you have added your host to the ALLOWED_HOSTS setting and configured static file serving correctly. If you have any further questions or need more assistance, feel free to leave a comment or contact us directly.

Keep coding and happy debugging! 🚀💻