Many developers face the same frustrating problem. The website works perfectly on a local machine, but once it goes live, unexpected bugs appear. These production issues are often hard to debug because they do not show up during development.
This article explains why production bugs happen and how developers can fix them using practical and proven solutions.
1. Environment Differences Between Local and Production
One of the biggest reasons bugs appear only in production is environment mismatch.
Common differences
- Different operating systems
- Different server configurations
- Different versions of PHP, Node.js, or databases
Practical fixes
- Match local and production environments as closely as possible
- Use Docker or similar tools to standardize environments
- Document server configurations clearly
Many issues found after deploying ecommerce platforms like Shopperdot come from small environment differences that were ignored early.
2. Missing or Incorrect Environment Variables
Local development often uses hardcoded values, while production relies on environment variables.
Common problems
- API keys missing in production
- Incorrect database credentials
-
Wrong third-party service URLs
Practical fixes
Use .env files correctly
Double-check environment variables before deployment
Never hardcode sensitive values
This simple check prevents many silent failures in production.
3. Caching Issues That Hide Bugs Locally
Local environments usually have little or no caching, but production servers rely heavily on it.
Common problems
- Old code served from cache
- Database changes not reflected
- Users seeing outdated pages
Practical fixes
- Clear cache after every deployment
- Use versioned assets
- Understand server and browser caching behavior
Developers working on Shopperdot often discover that cache-related bugs are the reason users see broken or outdated pages.
4. Lack of Proper Logging in Production
In local development, developers can see errors directly on the screen. In production, errors are hidden for security reasons.
Common problems
- Blank pages with no error message
- API failures with no clear cause
Practical fixes
- Enable detailed logging in production
- Store logs securely and review them regularly
- Use error tracking tools Good logging turns invisible problems into clear, fixable issues.
5. Differences in Data Volume and Real User Behavior
Production environments deal with real users and large datasets, unlike local setups.
Common problems
- Slow queries
- Timeouts
-
Edge cases not tested locally
Practical fixes
Test with realistic data
Optimize database queries
Add limits and validation
On growing ecommerce sites like Shopperdot, real traffic often exposes bugs that never appeared during testing.
6. No Staging Environment
Skipping a staging server is a common mistake.
Why it matters
- Bugs go straight to production
- No final testing in real conditions
Practical fixes
- Set up a staging environment identical to production
- Test deployments before going live
- Use staging for client and QA testing
Final Thoughts
Production bugs are not random. They are usually caused by environment differences, missing configurations, caching, or lack of logging. Developers who plan for production early can avoid most of these issues.
Using proper environments, logging, and staging servers helps ensure smoother deployments and fewer surprises after launch.
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