Laravel 404 Error

In Laravel, a 404 error refers to the HTTP status code that indicates a "Not Found" response from the server. Several factors can contribute to the occurrence of a 404 error.

One common cause is incorrect or nonexistent routing configuration. If a route definition is missing or misconfigured, Laravel will not be able to match the requested URL to a valid route, resulting in a 404 error. Another cause can be related to missing or incorrect file or resource references. If a requested file or resource, such as an image or CSS file, is not present or its path is incorrect, Laravel will respond with a 404 error.

Additionally, permission issues on the server can also lead to 404 errors if the web server does not have the necessary access rights to serve a specific file or directory.

By thoroughly reviewing and addressing these potential causes, developers can effectively troubleshoot and resolve 404 errors in Laravel applications.

As Laravel relies on a routing system, some rules should exist in the .htaccess file to allow the correct redirects and routing to occur, instead of Apache attempting to load the content from the file or directory specified by only the URL.

This article will guide you to add those rules in case they don't exist.

Recreate Default Laravel .htaccess Code

IMPORTANT: Please be aware that Technical Support cannot provide support on this issue as it is out of scope (OOS). It is strongly advised that a third-party developer assists with any Laravel configuration troubleshooting.

1. Go to the site and check subpages to verify a 404 error is occurring
2. If all subpages produce a 404 error, routing will need to be added
   1. Log into the cPanel
   2. Navigate to the document root of the affected site
   3. Edit the .htaccess file
      TIP: If .htaccess is not present, show hidden files in File Manager.
   4. Add the following to the top of the .htaccess file

      <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
      <IfModule mod_negotiation.c>
      Options -MultiViews
      </IfModule>
      
      RewriteEngine On
      
      # Redirect Trailing Slashes If Not A Folder...
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
      RewriteRule ^(.*)/$ /$1 [L,R=301]
      
      # Handle Front Controller...
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
      RewriteRule ^ index.php [L]
      </IfModule>

      TIP: If the 404 error only occurs on a few links and not all of them, then the database has likely become corrupted, the linked pages have been moved or deleted, or required files may be missing. In these situations, it's usually best to restore a backup.
   5. Save the file
   6. Visit the site again
      TIP: If the issue persists, try clearing your browser cache.