API Route Returns 500 Error - Internal Server Error

1. Unhandled exception in route handler
2. Database connection failed or query error
3. Missing required parameters or wrong parameter types
4. Environment variable undefined in production
5. Async/await syntax error or promise rejection

Add comprehensive error handling: try { ... } catch(e) { return NextResponse.json({ error: e.message }, { status: 500 }) }

Log errors: console.error('Route error:', e) to see details in logs

Check all parameters: ensure request.json() actually contains expected fields

Verify env vars loaded: console.log(process.env.VAR) at route start

Test with curl or Postman to isolate frontend from issue