WordPress E-commerce Development Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance, How this happens? and how to resolve this issue ? you need to read this blog completely
For E-commerce businesses running on WordPress, you must have come across this error of unavailability for scheduled maintenance error message. Yes, it can become irritating at times, when you have to update your website, but WordPress mercilessly calls off your plans to make a few changes to your shop.
What is this error? Why does it show? How can it be resolved? All your confusion will be answered in this blog on “WordPress E-commerce Development Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance.”
Being an open-source content management system, WordPress is updated by different software developers across the globe, who bring about updates as required in the system, fix bugs when necessary, add new features to make user experience friendly, and detect vulnerability issues.
Keeping up with the latest WordPress version is important to maintain your site’s performance and security because the software keeps on changing.
Your site will automatically be put in maintenance mode when updating WordPress files, however, some cases give you the ‘briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance error in front of which you remain helpless and are left with no other option instead of waiting for the maintenance to end at its good time.
Like every bug, this can be resolved too whose technique will be explained properly below.
What is Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance?
The message of “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” is displayed when WordPress is currently in maintenance mode.
This mode occurs when you perform manual updates on the core software, plugins, or themes. The message is then displayed to prevent your website from appearing broken on the front end.
Now during the update, WordPress will create a temporary maintenance file on your site. This file will put your website into maintenance mode and display the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message.
This file is usually automatically cleared when the update is finished causing the removal of the maintenance message, but WordPress can also get stuck in the maintenance mode which again forces the message to persist, even when the update is finished.
Let’s throw some light on the factors
- Low Memory
PHP scripts are responsible for running every process in WordPress including updates. If your storage is running out of space the scripts running the installation might fail to delete the .maintenance file.
- Slow Server Response
You cannot run a long script since WordPress has a limit on how a lengthy script can function. If the server is too slow to respond back the update script will timeout before disabling the maintenance mode.
- Compatibility Issues
Usually, in WordPress e-commerce web development, many plug-ins and themes are installed and activated according to the functions you want on the website, but even here the issue arises that not every theme and plug-in accepts your version of WordPress, meaning it is not compatible which may cause a bug that stops the update process early.
- Update Was Stopped
Disabling the maintenance mode is the last hope for updating the process. That is why it is recommended not to operate anything during updates as stopping or interrupting it midway can cause issues later onward.
The major errors have been told and discussed with all of you, but the solutions are still pending so how about we jot down the steps turn by turn?
They say that the main issues reside in the .maintenance file in your root directory, which when deleted can solve the problem.
This can be done by accessing the WordPress root folder through a File Manager of your web host control panel or using an FTP client. For instance, if your host is Hostinger then the error can be fixed in the following ways
Step 1:
Fixing the Error Using hosting’s hPanel
Users on Hostinger can simply access hPanel’s File Manager to begin fixing this WordPress issue. However, keep in mind that the overall process is similar no matter what platform you’re using.
Step 2:
Login To hPanel
Once you have logged into your Hostinger account, hPanel’s dashboard will be visible in front of you. Navigate to the ‘Files section’ and click on ‘File Manager.’
Step 3:
Choose Your Root Directory
Entered inside the file manager window? Now choose your root directory (public_html) and search for the .maintenance file.
Step 4:
Right Click on the File
Place your cursor on the file, press right-click to get the Delete option, and remove the file now.
Step 5:
Work Is Back
Completing the process will return your WordPress website to its stable state and make it accessible again.
In the case of an FTP client, youhttps://thewordpresswebsites.com/wordpress-development/ will want to use this method for deleting the .maintenance file and getting rid of the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” message.
It not only supports FTP but also FTP over TLS (FTPS) and SFTP and is open-source software distributed free of charge under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
For better guidance, FileZilla will be used so just make sure you use it correctly.
Step 1:
Remote Site Tab
Navigate to the Remote Site tab after getting access to the files. From there a list of your files should be visible in the public_html folder. Next, proceed toward the .maintenance file.
Step 2:
Force Showing Hidden Files
If you can’t reach the file, then it’s quite possible that it’s marked as a ‘hidden file’. Do yourself a favor by clicking on the Server button on the menu bar and choosing the “Force showing hidden files” option.
Step 3:
Welcome Normality
After following the steps above, you have now gotten rid of the file allowing your WordPress site to function normally.
Such errors come across your digital life on and off, but even you would not want to delete the .maintenance file repeatedly so for that too we will be providing you with guidance.
How to prevent the “Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance” Error in WordPress E-commerce development in the Future?
The remedies discussed above must have made it very easy to come up with a solution, but honestly even you would not want to delete the file every time the problem occurs; therefore we suggest avoiding by preventing these causes.
- Keep your Browser Tab Open:
When updating WordPress core files from the admin dashboard, stay vigilant about the message presented on your screen. WordPress will let you know when the process is starting by displaying the following message
‘The update process is starting. This process may take a while on some hosts, so please be patient.’
- Disabling Maintenance Mood:
Once it is finished, you will see the message saying
‘Disabling Maintenance mode ….. All updates have been completed.
It is important to keep the tab open until the updates are complete. Otherwise, it will cause a server connection timeout and interrupt the whole process.
- Avoid Updating Excessive Themes and Plug-ins at the Same Time
You do update your themes and plug-ins as soon as WordPress prompts you to do and it is highly recommended also to follow the same practice, but however, updating too many files at once can slow down the overall process and risk your website becoming stuck in maintenance mode.
Bulk updates can also cause plugins or themes to conflict with each other. If this happens, it might take some time to find out which file is causing the issue.
The fastest solution is to restore your website backup, which means you will lose the recent updates.
Always make sure that the theme or plugin you’re updating is suitable for your current WordPress version. You can do this by checking their details in the WordPress directory.
Another way to check for compatibility issues is by creating a WordPress staging environment. In this environment, you can test any updates without worrying about breaking your live site.
- Upgrade Your Web Hosting Service
When you are low on storage, it can force PHP scripts to stop before completing the updates. Thus, upgrading your web hosting plan for more website space can be a solution to this problem.
A rough estimation is done here to find out the average disk space usage for a single WordPress installation.
WordPress core software (4.9.5+) – 30.8 MB
Themes – 1-25 MB
Plugins – up to 100 MB
Media files – on average, 600-800 MB
MySQL database – 65 MB
With that in mind, you will need at least 1 GB of disk space to run a functional WordPress site. However, it is always recommended to leave extra space for better website performance.
- Plugins to Build a Custom Maintenance Mode Page
For a more engaging appearance, you can install a WordPress plugin and create a custom maintenance page. Below are a few of the top plugins available
- Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode & Landing Pages
Rating: 5/5
Notable features: mobile-ready pages, WooCommerce integration, spam protection
Pricing: freemium (premium plans start from $79.50/year)
The name itself gives you a hint that this WordPress plugin lets you create and customize maintenance, “coming soon”, and landing pages.
In addition, it comes with drag-and-drop functionality, allowing you to build these pages with ease.
Credit goes to its innate responsiveness; your design will automatically adjust to fit different screen sizes. This three-in-one plugin also works with any WordPress theme and provides spam protection with Recaptcha.
While the free version will set you up with all the essential features, the Pro version will add a hefty amount of new ones. These include CRM and marketing integrations, Google Analytics support, and 100+ premium templates.
- Minimal Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode
Rating: 4.7/5
Notable features: custom HTML & CSS, full rebranding, SEO analysis
Pricing: freemium (premium plans start from $39/year)
The Minimal Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode plugin includes a user-friendly interface with all of the tools and options displayed with brief instructions. It provides seven categories for users to customize their pages, including SEO, themes, and design.
With this plugin, you will be able to configure every aspect of your custom “Coming Soon” or maintenance mode page. This includes uploading a logo, modifying the plugin’s CSS, or writing custom HTML. In addition, you can preview your customized page before activation.
The core plugin is free to download from the WordPress directory. However, if you upgrade to its Pro version you will be luckier as the premium version will give you more advanced features and customization options. These include 170+ premade themes, IP whitelisting, and integration with email marketing services.
- WP Maintenance Mode
Rating: 4.3/5
Notable features: countdown timers, GDPR-ready, responsive design
Pricing: free
The plugin will automatically display a maintenance mode or “Coming Soon” page on your website as soon as you install and activate WP Maintenance Mode. You can simply switch it off by hovering over your admin bar.
The plugin allows you to customize the page’s appearance using its visual customizer. Plus, you can choose to add countdown timers, contact forms, and social media profiles. There is also a built-in bot that collects visitors’ email addresses by engaging them in a conversation.
Guess what? The model is also compatible with any WordPress theme. Moreover, it works with WordPress multisite and provides maintenance settings for each website in the network and because the plug-in is free you just have to download and activate it to start using the features.
We hope our strategies gave you enough information about how to tackle the error on your WordPress E-commerce development and now you will be able to resolve such bugs successfully.
Good Luck!