First checks
- Check the website from another device and network.
- Record the exact error message and time.
- Check domain, DNS and SSL certificate status.
- Review hosting availability, disk space and recent changes.
- Inspect server and CMS logs before changing anything.
Typical causes
Common causes include a hosting incident, expired domain or certificate, incorrect DNS records, exhausted server resources, database failure, a broken deployment or update, incompatible plugins, malicious code and accidental configuration changes.
What not to do
Do not repeatedly reinstall components, delete files or restore an arbitrary old backup before preserving evidence and current data. Unstructured changes can make recovery harder.
Recovery approach
Make a backup, isolate the failing layer, restore service with the smallest safe change, then investigate the root cause. After recovery, verify forms, integrations, analytics, scheduled tasks and security.