This article describes how to enable and disable PHP error messages by using the display_errors directive in a php.ini file.
Error messages and the display_errors directive
By default, PHP displays error messages in a user’s web browser. This feature is very useful when you are initially developing and debugging your website. However, when website development is complete, displaying error messages can be a security risk. Error messages can reveal information about your website, such as path information and variables, that should be kept private.
The display_errors directive controls whether or not PHP displays error messages in users’ web browsers. To prevent PHP from displaying error messages, use a text editor to modify the display_errors directive in the php.ini file as follows:
display_errors = off
To allow PHP to display error messages, modify the display_errors directive in the php.ini file as follows:
display_errors = on
More Information
- To view a complete list of php.ini directives, please visit http://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.list.php.
- For more information about the display_errors directive, please visit http://www.php.net/manual/en/errorfunc.configuration.php#ini.display-errors.
