Types of errors in PHP

 Basically, an error is a mistake in a program that may be caused by writing incorrect

syntax or incorrect code.
 An error message is displayed on your browser containing the filename along with
location, a message describing the error, and the line number in which error has
occurred.

There are usually different types of error. In PHP, mainly four types of errors are
considered:

1. Syntax Error or Parse Error

2. Fatal Error
3. Warning Error
4. Notice Error

We will discuss all these errors in detail with examples:

1) Syntax Error or Parse Error

A syntax error is a mistake in the syntax of source code, which can be done by programmers
due to their lack of concern or knowledge. It is also known as Parse error. Compiler is
used to catch the syntax error at compile time.

These errors can occur due to these common reasons like unclosed quotes, missing
semicolon, extra or missing parentheses, or unclosed brackets and many more. While
compiling the program, syntax error can be caught by the compiler. It gives a parse error
or syntax error message.

Example 1: Missing semicolon

<?php
/*------------------syntax error-------------------*/
echo "Alex: Hie! I'm Alex. </br>";
echo "Bob: I'm Bob. How are you?"
echo "Alex: I'm good! and you?";
echo "Bob: I'm also good";
?>
 Output

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected 'echo' (T_ECHO), expecting ',' or ';' in
C:\xampp\htdocs\program\fatalerror.php on line 5

Explanation: In this above example, a semicolon (;) was missing in line 5. So, it generated
a parse error and displayed an error message on browser as given in the output.

Example 2: Missing dollar symbol

<?php
/*------------------syntax error-------------------*/
$telecom = "Airtel";
automobile = "Jaguar";
echo $telecom;
echo $automobile;
?>

Output

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '=' in

C:\xampp\htdocs\program\fatalerror.php on line 5

Explanation: In this above example, dollar ($) symbol was missing in line 5. So, it
generated a parse error and displayed an error message on browser as given in the output.

2) Fatal Error

A fatal error is another type of error, which is occurred due to the use of undefined function.
The PHP compiler understands the PHP code but also recognizes the undefined function.
This means that when a function is called without providing its definition, the PHP
compiler generates a fatal error.

A fatal error is generated when a function is called without its definition. See the below
example containing the fatal error -

Example: Calling undefined function

<?php
/*------------------fatal error-------------------*/
function add($f1, $f2) {
 $sum = $f1 + $f2;
echo "Addition:" . $sum;
}

$f1 = 23;
$f2 = 56;

//call the function that is not defined

//Generate fatal error
catch_fatal_error();
//echo "Fatal Error";
?>

 In the above code we have defined the add() function but called other function, which
is catch_fatal_error(). Therefore, it generates a fatal error and print an error message on the
browser as given below:

Output

Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function

catch_fatal_error() in C:\xa

3) Warning Error

A warning is generated when the programmer tries to include a missing file. The PHP
function calls that missing file which does not exist. The warning error does not
stop/prevent the execution of the program.

The main reason behind generating a warning error is to pass an incorrect number of
parameters to a function or to include a missing file.

Example: Include missing file

<?php
/*-------------------warning error------------------*/
$cmpny = 'javatpoint';
echo "Warning Error: ";

//include a file in the code

include ('jtp.php');
?>

Output

Warning Error:
Warning: include(jtp.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in
C:\xampp\htdocs\program\fatalerror.php on line 7

Warning: include(): Failed opening 'jtp.php' for inclusion

(include_path='C:\xampp\php\PEAR') in C:\xampp\htdocs\program\fatalerror.php on line
7

Explanation: In this example, we tried to include a file in our program, which does not
exist. So, it generated a warning and displayed an error message.

Notice Error

Notice error is same as warning error. When program contains something wrong, the notice
error occurs. But it allows/continue the execution of the program with a notice error. Notice
error does not prevent the execution of the code. For example - access to undefined
variable.

Generally, notice error occurs when we try to use or access a variable which is undefined.
See the below example to understand it-

Example 2: Access undefined variable

<?php
/*------------------notice error-------------------*/
$telecom = "Airtel";
echo $telecom;
echo $automobile;
?>

Output

Airtel
Notice: Undefined variable: automobile in
C:\xampp\htdocs\program\fatalerror.php on line 6
Explanation: In this above example, we were trying to use a variable $automobile, which
was not defined. Therefore, it generated a notice "Undefined variable" and continued the
execution of the program.

How to display all errors in PHP?

A PHP application generates several levels of errors and warnings during the runtime of
the script. PHP provides four different ways to display these errors and warnings, which
are listed below:

1. error_reporting: It displays all level errors except E-NOTICE, E-STRICT, and

E_DEPRECATED level errors.
2. display_errors: By default, the value of display_errors is off. Set it to on to display
all the errors, including parse (syntax) error.
3. log_errors: The default value of log_errors is ON, which indicates that the error
logging should be done or not.
4. error_log string: The error_log string sets that file name where scripts error should
be logged.

There are few lines of code given below, add this to your PHP file to display errors. It is a
fastest way to display all the PHP errors and warnings.

ini_set ('display_errors', 1);

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

The working of above function and directives is as follow:

ini_set()

This function tries to override the configuration that is found in php.ini file.

display_errors

The display_errors is a directive that determines whether the error will display to the user
or remain hidden. It does not handle the errors that occur during PHP's startup sequence.
display_startup_errors

The display_startup_errors is also a directive, which is used to find the error during the
startup sequence of PHP.

error_reporting()

The error_reporting is a native function of PHP. It is used to display errors.

Program

<?php
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('display_startup_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);
//include a php file which does not exist
include("jtp.php");
?>

Output

The output will be shown a warning to the browser.

Warning: include(jtp.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in

C:\xampp\htdocs\program\phperror.php on line 6

Warning: include(): Failed opening 'jtp.php' for inclusion

(include_path='C:\xampp\php\PEAR') in C:\xampp\htdocs\program\phperror.php
on line 6

Note: Both these directives display_errors and display_startup_errors

would not be able to display the parse errors. Therefore, the PHP.ini
configuration must be modified.
Configure PHP.ini to display all errors and warnings
The following changes must be done in php.ini file to display all errors, including parse
error, and restart the apache server in xampp.

display_errors = on

Set the display_errors directive to "on" in PHP.ini file. It will display all the errors, which
cannot be displayed by just calling ini_set() function, such as - syntax and parse errors

Program

PHP program when display_errors is disabled or set to off in php.ini file.

<?php
//semicolon is missing, which generates parse error in php code
for ($i = 5; $i >= 0 $i--) {
echo "It will generate parse error";
}
?>

Output

The output will be shown to the browser like the below screenshot when
the display_errors directive is disabled.

Output:

The output for the above program when display_errors is enabled or set to on in php.ini
file, and the server is restarted.