# REST API Error Log Under Tools

> Records REST API requests that fail with a 4xx or 5xx status, with the route, method, user and error code, and lists the latest 100 under Tools > REST Errors for debugging integrations.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Developer](https://wpide.com/library/category/developer/)
- Tags: rest-api, logging, debugging
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/rest-error-log/

## Code

```php
// Keep this many entries.
$wpide_rest_log_size = 100;
// Log 404 responses too.
$wpide_rest_log_404 = true;

add_filter( 'rest_request_after_callbacks', function ( $response, $handler, $request ) use ( $wpide_rest_log_size, $wpide_rest_log_404 ) {
    if ( is_wp_error( $response ) ) {
        $data   = $response->get_error_data();
        $status = is_array( $data ) && isset( $data['status'] ) ? (int) $data['status'] : 500;
        $code   = $response->get_error_code();
    } elseif ( $response instanceof WP_HTTP_Response ) {
        $data   = $response->get_data();
        $status = $response->get_status();
        $code   = is_array( $data ) && isset( $data['code'] ) ? $data['code'] : '';
    } else {
        return $response;
    }

    if ( $status < 400 || ( 404 === $status && ! $wpide_rest_log_404 ) ) {
        return $response;
    }

    $log   = (array) get_option( 'wpide_rest_error_log', array() );
    $log[] = array(
        'time'   => time(),
        'method' => $request->get_method(),
        'route'  => $request->get_route(),
        'status' => $status,
        'code'   => (string) $code,
        'user'   => get_current_user_id(),
    );

    update_option( 'wpide_rest_error_log', array_slice( $log, -$wpide_rest_log_size ), false );

    return $response;
}, 10, 3 );

add_action( 'admin_menu', function () {
    add_management_page( 'REST Errors', 'REST Errors', 'manage_options', 'wpide-rest-errors', function () {
        $log = array_reverse( (array) get_option( 'wpide_rest_error_log', array() ) );

        echo '<div class="wrap"><h1>REST API Errors</h1>';
        if ( ! $log ) {
            echo '<p>No errors recorded yet.</p></div>';
            return;
        }
        echo '<table class="widefat striped"><thead><tr><th>When</th><th>Status</th><th>Method</th><th>Route</th><th>Code</th><th>User</th></tr></thead><tbody>';
        foreach ( $log as $row ) {
            $user = $row['user'] ? get_userdata( $row['user'] ) : false;
            printf(
                '<tr><td>%s</td><td>%d</td><td>%s</td><td><code>%s</code></td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td></tr>',
                esc_html( wp_date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', $row['time'] ) ),
                (int) $row['status'],
                esc_html( $row['method'] ),
                esc_html( $row['route'] ),
                esc_html( $row['code'] ),
                esc_html( $user ? $user->user_login : 'visitor' )
            );
        }
        echo '</tbody></table></div>';
    } );
} );
```

## Notes

Set $wpide_rest_log_404 to false to skip "not found" errors from bots; the log is stored in one non-autoloaded option.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "REST API Error Log Under Tools" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/