VPS Tutorials
VPS Scheduled Tasks Not Running (2026): cron, crontab, systemd timer, and environment variable troubleshooting checklist
When crontab or systemd timer tasks don't run on a VPS, the common cause isn't the command itself but the executing user, PATH environment, working directory, permissions, time zone, service not enabled, or logs not being read correctly. This article troubleshoots layer by layer through the cron service, task syntax, logs, environment variables, systemd timer, and task idempotency.
