PHP Roles with Linux Support Responsibilities

Jobs that list Linux support skills often target PHP developers who are also responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining the live server environment. This skill set is common in DevOps, SRE (Site Reliability Engineering), and full-stack roles where the developer provides operational support for the applications they build. The focus is on diagnosing and resolving issues that arise in the production Linux environment.

Troubleshooting the Full Stack

A developer in a Linux support role must be able to investigate problems that could originate anywhere in the LEMP/LAMP stack. This requires a holistic understanding of how PHP interacts with the web server (Nginx/Apache), the database (MySQL/PostgreSQL), and the underlying Linux operating system. They are the first line of defense when an application experiences downtime, performance degradation, or security incidents.

Core Linux Support Competencies

Essential skills for providing Linux support for PHP applications include:

• Log Analysis: Reading and interpreting system, web server, and application logs to diagnose errors.
• Process and Service Management: Using tools like systemd or service to manage running processes (e.g., restarting PHP-FPM or Nginx).
• Network Troubleshooting: Using commands like ping, netstat, and curl to diagnose connectivity issues.
• Resource Monitoring: Identifying memory leaks or CPU spikes that affect application performance.