How to Fix http Error 503 The Service is Unavailable

While surfing 503 Service Unavailable Error is not something out of the ordinary for any webpage user to face error messages. These messages are a significant method for users and hosting suppliers to support how to decide where the trouble starts. Another most frequently happened trouble is the 503 error. While facing a 503 error message, users might not probably able to get what really is happening.
Another major problem that was hosting the webpage might not be capable to comprehend a 503 error or how it can be solved. In this article, we will tell you how to fix these 503 errors.

Explained HTTP Errors

While browsing via the internet your digital device most probably uses one of the five most popular web browsers. They are the following:

  • Firefox
  • Google Chrome
  • Opera
  • Safari
  • Internet Explorer

While sending a request to recover a file. All of these browsers utilize HTTP from a server available on the internet. These noted “HTTP” that prefaces “www.” in web pages. As a result, many of these requests result in the presumed display of the wanted file or website within the browser. Sometimes an error will happen and an error message may be popped up.

All these error messages are made to give the viewer and host causes the requests could not to be finished. These error code groups are based on triple-digit groups and they start from 100 numbered codes to 500s. These error codes that start with a “5” are errors caused by the server side. It means to say that the issue is not with the browser, nor with the digital device of the user but with the server that the webpage is hosted on. A sign of a 5xx error is not only the trouble with the server it also explains to us that the server identifies that it has some issues.

503 ERROR

Your browser will show a 503 error when a server where the wanted webpage is having some trouble recovering back your desired picture or webpage. If the HTTP error message seen by a user can also be customized by the web host, it can also be interfaced back to the user in a variety of methods.

Below are the most frequently happened variations of the displayed error message:

  • 503 Error
  • 503 Service Unavailable
  • 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable
  • HTTP Server Error 503
  • HTTP 503
  • HTTP Error 503
  • Error 503 Service Unavailable

It also means to say that whether the server is getting way too many requests for it to manage at a time, or it might probably have some hidden process of maintenance. The most fascinating thing about the 503 error is that it is a sign that the server is working perfectly fine. As it is only procrastinating requests on purpose for the time until the whole process goes down, the process gets slow or all the systematization completes.

Finding 503 Service Unavailable Error

As explained above, 503 Service Unavailable Error points out that the server is not available for the time being. This is basically the server is “down” because of the arranged maintenance, or probably because of the heavy load that is stopping it from managing all incoming requests.
Except that the server is not really smashed or closed but it has set itself to a mode of service that stops many requests from acting the way they used to. Trying to approach a properly functional site now shows a 503 Service Unavailable Error, with the message about the server being slowed down for the sake of maintenance. In a situation like this, the server is still up and working, but only administrators can approach it, as requests would be canceled and sent from the normal public before the time the process of maintenance ends.

Other Situations:

In some other situations, where the server is canceling the request because of overload, it means to say that there is an out-of-the-ordinary amount of requests on their way to be approved.  For the sake of managing a balanced amount of requests, the server has efficiently disapproved a limited amount of all incoming requests and delivered back a 503 Service Unavailable Error.
If a server was configured properly, the request can be finished by waiting for some time and trying more times, so the speed and load of requests become less and slower.

In case your app is responding with 503 Service Unavailable codes and the server should not be doing any type of maintenance task that would describe the state, then this is a problem that many other users might probably encounter, that causes harm to the performance of your application.

In case nothing works, then go and browse for your convenience so you would be able to understand the exact terms and their functions like the name of your application’s CMS or web server software. There are higher possibilities that you would be able to find others who are experiencing similar problems and probably have some ways to tackle it.

Troubleshooting on the Server-Side:

Following are some points to understand you troubleshoot what might be causing 503 Service Unavailable to appear on the server side:

1. Rebooting the Server

In case you or an administrator have the capability to do so, one of the easiest ways is to reboot the web server hosting the app. In case your application has spread over a broader scale and multiple servers, confirm that they restarted in the usual way so the system is brought back online the way it used to be.

2. Check for Unexpected Maintenance

It is hard to notice but your server or app may be configured to go down for the sake of maintenance on its own. There are various modern content management systems including WordPress that will install updates to their base software without any intervention for your convenience via automatic processing.

The web server might probably be issuing 503 Service Unavailable Errors in this period, especially if your app is on a slower server or a shared host. In case you’re capable to have the approach to the administration settings of your server, then check the configuration options for automatic maintenance or hide these options in case you’d have direct control over that procedure.

3. Server Connectivity Issues

There are possibilities that the server is not approachable or slow as the 503 Service Unavailable Error stresses this fact. There are some latest apps that are not based on a certain server but may be based on many systems, or it might also be possible that they are based on third-party services to operate. In case any one of these servers is down for maintenance or not approachable then this could result in trouble from your own app.

4. Improper Firewall Configuration

A firewall is a common security device that manages network traffic and controls everything. With the help of it, much harmful traffic can block. It also has the possibility for a firewall configured somewhere on the network in which your app is running to be stopping some form of critical traffic from going through.

This is also true for apps that are based on content delivery networks (CDNs), which play their role as a third-party host for “heavy” content including videos, and images, hosting that content for your app, so your app can control its speed and work efficiently.

Sometimes automatic firewall services also give false precautions, by error sending secure and compatible content from CDNs or somewhere else as corrupted and closing that flow of content in a second, which could also be a reason for 503 Service Unavailable Error.

5. Check the Logs

Probably all web apps will save some form of server-side logs. App logs are the history of what the app did, including pages that are demanded, servers it connected to, database results in it gives, and many more. Server logs are interrelated to the real hardware that is running the app and will give details about the health and status of all interlinked services, or even just the server itself. Google “logs [PLATFORM_NAME]” in case you’re utilizing a CMS, or “logs [PROGRAMMING_LANGUAGE]” and “logs [OPERATING_SYSTEM]”  in case you’re running a custom app, to get more information about finding the logs in question.

6. Application Code or Script Bugs

In case all the above methods fail, it might be the possibility that trouble is in some custom code within your app that is conflicting. Just try to find out where the problem is coming from. You should also make a copy of the complete application to a local development machine and go through the process of debugging, step after step. It will permit you to remake the exact scenario in which the 503 Service Unavailable Error happened and will show the app code the time something starts troubling.

7. Reloading the Page

As we have explained at the start of this article that the Service Unavailable error isn’t permanent. At times gaining access to the page again can help you solve the problem. Just tap the reload button on your web browser or tap F5 on your keyboard to reload the website. Now check to see in case your HTTP Error 503 ends. Keep this thing in your mind you might require to fill out the form and enter the data on the website at the time you reload it.

Above mentioned methods might probably help you in understanding the true nature of error 503 The Service is Unavailable and help you in resolving your trouble.