Overview
When PHP fatals on a production WordPress site, you usually get a blank white page with no information about what failed. This plugin hooks into PHP shutdown, captures fatal errors, writes them to a log file, and shows a red banner across wp-admin so you notice straight away.
Use it when:
Not intended for long-term production use. Install when debugging, remove when done.
Requirements
- WordPress 6.4 or newer
- PHP 8.2 or newer
Installation
- Upload the dprime-error-catcher folder to /wp-content/plugins/
- Activate the plugin from the Plugins screen
- Reproduce the issue you are investigating
- Go to Dprime > Error Catcher and check the Log tab
Using the plugin
- Uploading or activating untested plugins
- Updating PHP versions
- Debugging a reported "site went blank" issue
- Investigating any plugin or theme code change
- Log viewer tab showing the most recent 200 error entries
- CSS classes tab listing all overridable classes for custom styling
- Help tab with plain-language guidance on when and how to use the plugin
- Clear log button to wipe the file when debugging is complete
- Nests under the Dprime parent menu when Dprime Core is installed
Data and cleanup
- No plugin-specific database table, content metadata, upload folder, scheduled task, or remote service
Retention: kept until the plugin is uninstalled. Uninstall policy: delete the plugin-owned data declared above.
Frequently asked questions
Does this plugin need Dprime Core?
No. Error Catcher works fully on its own. If Dprime Core is installed, Error Catcher nests under the Dprime parent menu automatically.
What types of errors are captured?
Fatal errors only. These are errors that stop the page loading completely. Warnings and notices are not captured. Use WP_DEBUG_LOG in wp-config.php for those.
Where is the log file stored?
At wp-content/dprime-error.log. The file is outside the plugins folder so it survives deactivation.
Will the plugin slow down my site?
No. The shutdown function only does work when a fatal error has already occurred. On a normal request it adds no overhead.
What happens when I delete the plugin?
The log file at wp-content/dprime-error.log is deleted automatically when you remove the plugin.
Updates and access
This complete free release can be downloaded directly. Install Dprime Core for automatic catalogue updates.