This paper aims to study the existence and stability results concerning a fractional partial differential equation with variable exponent source functions. The local existence result for $$\alpha \in (0,1)$$
α
∈
(
0
,
1
)
is established with the help of the $$\alpha $$
α
-resolvent kernel and the Schauder-fixed point theorem. The non-continuation theorem is proved by the fixed point technique and accordingly the global existence of solution is achieved. The uniqueness of the solution is obtained using the contraction principle and the stability results are discussed by means of Ulam-Hyers and generalized Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability concepts via the Picard operator. Examples are provided to illustrate the results.