WordPress Non-zero exit status returned by script [Solution]

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You are either installing a new WordPress Website or updating the existing WordPress website. If you are facing the the error message “Non-zero exit status returned by script”, take a look to following solutions. This error message can have different reasons. In this article, I’ll show you a few possible causes.

Your PHP Version is wrong.

Have you moved your WordPress website to a new host? Or it could be that your hosting provider has made an update on the server. Here you need to make sure that the WordPress version is compatible with the PHP version.

You can find the list of WordPress versions and PHP versions and their compatibility to each other on the official WordPress site:

PHP Compatibility and WordPress versions

For example, if you are using WordPress version “5.3” and your PHP version is “8.0”, PHP cannot interpret your WordPress Website, so you get the Error “Non-zero exit status returned by script”.

Check WordPress Version

Check your WordPress version with the following tutorial: How to check your WordPress version

Check PHP Version

After checking the WordPress Version you can use the following instructions to check the PHP version on the Plesk hosting manager: Plesk: PHP version and configuration

You can also create a PHP file on your hosting in the documents directory. In this file you can add the following line:

<?php phpinfo();

Preferred domain is misconfigured (Plesk)

In the hosting management tool Plesk there is an option “Preferred domain”. This setting allows you to specify what your URL (Uniform Resource Locator) should look like. The following options are available:

www.yourdomain.com
yourdomain.com
none

This configuration can also be added via a .htaccess file or in the Apache/nginx settings. If such a redirect takes place on your WordPress website, you have to be careful. Because WordPress has its own configuration when it comes to the preferred domain. It called Site/Home URL. You can find out more about Site URL in the following instructions: WordPress Adjust Site URL [2022]

So for a WordPress website, you should always set the preferred domain to “none” in Plesk or in the hosting settings so that it’s managed by WordPress.

Disable WordPress plugins

It could be a reason, because a WordPress plugin that you already installed, could have an error in it. This error can prevent the entire website from running. Deactivate all plugins with the following instructions: WordPress Disable plugins.

If this doesn’t help either, follow the instructions below: WordPress login fails solution.

I’m a WordPress expert. For professional support you can contact me using the following form: Contact me .

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Aziz Ozbek

WordPress Non-zero exit status returned by script [Solution]

Your PHP Version is wrong.

Preferred domain is misconfigured (Plesk)

Disable WordPress plugins

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Aziz Ozbek

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