So, you spun up Invoice Ninja using Docker Compose, excited to start sending those beautifully branded invoices. Everything seemed perfect—until you hit a 500 Internal Server Error. What gives?! Don’t worry. You’re not alone, and yes, it’s fixable. Let’s break it down into fun-sized bites.
First off, what’s a 500 error? It’s the server waving a big red flag, saying:
- “Something broke…”
- “I don’t know what it is…”
- “But it’s not your browser’s fault!”
In the world of Docker and Invoice Ninja, this usually boils down to a misconfiguration. But the good news? You’ll be a troubleshooting superhero by the end of this guide.
Step 1: Check Your Logs
Before you panic, check your logs.
docker-compose logs -f app
This command will show you what Invoice Ninja is struggling with. Look out for anything that mentions permission denied, missing .env, or database connection failed.
Hint: If you see something like “Unable to locate .env file,” then congrats—you’ve just found your culprit. Jump to Step 2!
Step 2: There’s No ENV Like .env
Invoice Ninja needs a .env file—this is the magical configuration scroll. If it’s missing, your app won’t know how to connect to the database, handle emails, or even know its own name!
Make sure you have one in your working directory. If not, copy the sample:
cp .env.example .env
But simply copying isn’t enough. Open it and adjust things like:
- APP_URL – Make sure it matches the domain or IP you’re accessing
- DB_HOST – Usually
dbif you’re using Compose - DB_USERNAME and DB_PASSWORD
Save and close the file. Now restart!
docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d
Step 3: Database Might Be Napping
Sometimes, the problem isn’t with Invoice Ninja—it’s with MySQL or PostgreSQL not waking up in time. Container-based apps can be lazy starters.
Try delaying the start of the Invoice Ninja app just a bit. Use the depends_on and healthcheck features in your docker-compose.yml to make sure the database is ready first.
Here’s an example snippet:
services:
app:
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
And make sure your database service has a health check!
Step 4: Check Permissions
If you’re running on Linux, file permissions can be sneaky little troublemakers.
Make sure your volumes and folders are owned by the correct user. It’s common to do:
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 storage
This gives Invoice Ninja proper access to logs, caches, and Laravel things via the storage/ directory.
Step 5: Cache Me If You Can
Laravel (which powers Invoice Ninja) runs on caches—routes, configs, views. A broken or outdated cache can totally brick your app with a 500 error.
Inside your container, run these artisan commands:
docker exec -it YOUR_APP_CONTAINER bash
php artisan config:clear
php artisan route:clear
php artisan view:clear
php artisan optimize
Replace YOUR_APP_CONTAINER with the actual name of your running app container (usually just app if you used the default Compose).
Still Stuck?
Double-check your environment variables. Make sure there are no missing values or extra spaces (sneaky error-makers!). You can also try removing all volumes and starting fresh:
docker-compose down -v
docker-compose up -d
Sometimes, starting from a clean slate is the best therapy—for you and your containers.
Final Thoughts
Getting a 500 error in Invoice Ninja can feel frustrating, but with a little curiosity and patience, it’s totally fixable. Docker Compose gives you lots of control, but that also means little mistakes can lead to big meltdowns.
Stick to the basics:
- Logs are your friend
- ENV is your guide
- Permissions matter
- Start clean if you must
Now get out there and invoice like a pro!
