API Route Returns 500 Error - Internal Server Error
Your API route returns a 500 Internal Server Error even though the code looks correct. The same logic works fine when tested manually.
Frontend gets error when calling the route, but no detailed error message.
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- Unhandled exception in route handler
- Database connection failed or query error
- Missing required parameters or wrong parameter types
- Environment variable undefined in production
- Async/await syntax error or promise rejection
How to Fix It
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
Real developers can help you.
Milan Surelia
Milan Surelia is a Mobile App Developer with 5+ years of experience crafting scalable, cross-platform apps at 7Span and Meticha. At 7Span, he engineers feature-rich Flutter apps with smooth performance and modern UI. As the Co-Founder of Meticha, he builds open-source tools and developer-focused products that solve real-world problems.
Expertise:
💡 Developing cross-platform apps using Flutter, Dart, and Jetpack Compose for Android, iOS, and Web.
🖋️ Sharing insights through technical writing, blogging, and open-source contributions.
🤝 Collaborating closely with designers, PMs, and developers to build seamless mobile experiences.
Notable Achievements:
🎯 Revamped the Vepaar app into Vepaar Store & CRM with a 2x performance boost and smoother UX.
🚀 Launched Compose101 — a Jetpack Compose starter kit to speed up Android development.
🌟 Open source contributions on Github & StackOverflow for Flutter & Dart
🎖️ Worked on improving app performance and user experience with smart solutions.
Milan is always happy to connect, work on new ideas, and explore the latest in technology.
Jared Hasson
Full time lead founding dev at a cyber security saas startup, with 10 yoe and a bachelor's in CS. Building & debugging software products is what I've spent my time on for forever
Richard McSorley
Full-Stack Software Engineer with 8+ years building high-performance applications for enterprise clients. Shipped production systems at Walmart (4,000+ stores), Cigna (20M+ users), and Arkansas Blue Cross. 5 patents in retail/supply chain tech. Currently focused on AI integrations, automation tools, and TypeScript-first architectures.
AUXLE
I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies.
Dor Yaloz
SW engineer with 6+ years of experience,
I worked with React/Node/Python
did projects with React+Capacitor.js for ios
Supabase expert
Yovel Cohen
I got a lot of experience in building Long-horizon AI Agents in production, Backend apps that scale to millions of users and frontend knowledge as well.
Stanislav Prigodich
15+ years building iOS and web apps at startups and enterprise companies. I want to use that experience to help builders ship real products - when something breaks, I'm here to fix it.
rayush33
JavaScript (React.js, React Native, Node.js) Developer with demonstrated industry experience of 4+ years, actively looking for opportunities to hone my skills as well as help small-scale business owners with solutions to technical problems
Anthony Akpan
Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups
Meïr Ankri
Full-stack developer specializing in React / Next.js / Node.js with 6+ years of experience. I've worked across various sectors including automotive (Reezocar/Société Générale), healthcare (Medical Link SaaS), and e-commerce (Glasman). I build web apps end-to-end, from architecture to production, with a focus on scalability, performance, and code quality. I also mentor junior developers and contribute to technical decisions and code reviews.
You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How do I debug API route errors?
Add console.log/console.error throughout the route. Check deployment logs. Test with curl
What's the best way to handle errors?
Use try/catch. Return meaningful error messages and status codes (400 for bad input, 401 for auth, 500 for server)
Why would route work locally but fail on deploy?
Missing env vars, different database URL, or permission issues. Verify all env vars set in deployment