> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sevalla.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Static Sites - Troubleshooting

> Troubleshoot common static site deployment problems.

If you run into any issues with your static site, check the following for tips and solutions for common errors.

## 403 error

If the deployment of your site completes without error, but you see a 403 error when trying to visit the site in your browser, here are a few things to check:

1. If your site depends on a build step, is the **Build command** (**Settings** > **Basic details**) filled in and correct?
2. Is the **Publish directory** correct?
3. Are your file permissions correct? We generally recommend the following permissions for static sites:
   * **Directories:** 755
   * **Files:** 644

**File permissions control who can:**

* **Read:** See the contents of a file or view files in a directory.
* **Write:** Modify a file, or add or delete files in a directory.
* **Execute:** Run a file and/or execute it as a script, or access a directory and perform functions and commands.

Each file and directory has its own set of file permissions, shown as a 3-digit number. Each number indicates the permission level for each category (read, write, and execute) shown above.

## 404 error

If the deployment of your site completes without error, but you see a 404 error when trying to visit the site in your browser, there are a few things to check:

1. If your site depends on a build step, is the **Build command** (**Settings** > **Basic details**) filled in and correct?
2. Is the **Publish directory** correct?
3. Is your repository [compatible with Static Site Hosting](/static-sites/get-started/static-site-generators#static-site-generator-compatibility)? It should contain either:
   * A static site framework that uses Node.js for the build step.
   * Or static files, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, that do not require a build step (leave the **Build command** blank).

The **Build command** tells our system how to assemble your site, and the **Publish directory** is the subdirectory where the finished site files live relative to the root of your repository. If your site depends on a build step, it’s crucial to fill out these fields correctly. This will ensure your site is built and served as you intend. If the **Build command** is left blank, the system may indicate the deployment is complete, but it will only upload the unbuilt contents of your repository.

## Incorrect Node version

If you [enter a build command](/static-sites/get-started/add-a-static-site) for your site, you can select the Node version to use. If you select the incorrect version, the deployment will fail, and there will be an [error in the deployment logs](/static-sites/deployments) that indicates a different Node.js version is needed, similar to this:

```
"Build project": error [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection): The engine "node" is incompatible with this module. Expected version "16.14.0". Got "16.20.0"
```

Check your [static site’s settings](/static-sites/settings), change the Node version as needed, and manually deploy the site again (click **Deploy now** on the [Deployments page](/static-sites/deployments)).

## Unable to determine package manager

If an issue occurs with the [build command](/static-sites/settings) or configuration file, you may see the following error:

> Error: Unable to determine package manager

This error usually occurs due to an incorrect build command or a missing or incorrectly configured **package.json** file. Here are a couple of things to check:

1. Is the **Build command** (**Settings** > **Basic details**) filled in and correct?
2. Is the **package.json** file in your git repository?
3. Is the **package.json** file configured correctly, including any conflicting Node version? For instance, you may have chosen Node version 18.16.0 when you [added the static site](/static-sites/get-started/add-a-static-site), but in the **package.json** file, you may have set the Node version to something different, like the following example:

```json theme={null}
"engines": {
  "node": ">=20.0.0"
}
```