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PHP fatal error

A PHP Fatal Error is a critical runtime error that causes your script to crash and stop executing immediately.

To help you fix it, I need to see the specific error message, but you can resolve the most common root causes by following the steps below.

Common Causes and Quick Fixes

  • Call to undefined function: You are calling a function that does not exist or hasn’t been included. Check your spelling or ensure the necessary require_once() or include() file is present.
  • Class not found: The script is trying to instantiate a class that PHP cannot locate. Verify your use statements, namespaces, or Composer autoloader.
  • Allowed memory size exhausted: Your script ran out of RAM. Boost the limit temporarily in your code using ini_set('memory_limit', '256M');.
  • Maximum execution time exceeded: The script took too long to run. Increase the limit using set_time_limit(300); or update your php.ini file.
  • Uncaught Exception / Error: A critical problem occurred that was not wrapped in a proper try/catch block. Wrap the risky code inside a try { ... } catch (\Throwable $e) { ... } block.

How to Find Your Error (If Your Screen is Blank)

If your website shows a completely blank screen (the “White Screen of Death”), error reporting is likely disabled on your server. You can force PHP to show the error message by adding these lines to the very top of your main PHP file:

ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('display_startup_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);

Alternatively, look into your server’s local error logs (such as error_log in your project folder, or Apache/Nginx log files) to extract the exact error message.

If your cron jobs encounter PHP fatal error, please feel free to email me at support@fastcron.com and I’ll look into it.