{"id":6077,"date":"2026-07-13T14:02:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T11:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/?p=6077"},"modified":"2026-07-13T14:02:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T11:02:53","slug":"enable-php-fpm-slow-log-spanel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/enable-php-fpm-slow-log-spanel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Enable and Read the PHP-FPM Slow Log in SPanel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SPanel includes a per-account PHP-FPM slow log that you can enable from Tools <\/strong>> PHP Manager<\/strong>, with no SSH or root access needed. You set a threshold in seconds, and any PHP request that runs longer has its call stack recorded to a private per-user log. The one thing to plan around: the slow log auto-disables after 24 hours, so it is a short diagnostic window, not a permanent setting. Enable it, reproduce the slow page, then read what it captured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who this is for<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is for developers and site owners who can see that a page is slow but cannot tell which PHP request is causing it, working from the SPanel User Interface without root or shell access. If you run a WordPress or custom PHP site, this is the built-in way to find the script eating the seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What problem this solves<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A page “feels slow” tells you nothing about where the time goes, so without a way to see inside PHP you end up guessing – disabling plugins at random, or blaming the database. The slow log answers a narrower question: which requests crossed a time limit you chose, and what they were doing in PHP at that point. That turns a vague complaint into a specific script and call stack you can act on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How SPanel solves this<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Open PHP Manager<\/strong> from SPanel’s User Interface. SPanel lists each domain in its own row, and every row has an Actions <\/strong>menu. Open it and select PHP Slow Log<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the page you enable the slow log and set a threshold – the speed, in seconds. Any request slower than that value is logged. Behind the scenes your threshold becomes the PHP-FPM request_slowlog_timeout. Set the number, reproduce the slow page, then read the entries it collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why this is different in SPanel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Two things stand out. First, it is a one-click, time-boxed diagnostic scoped to one account: you set the threshold, SPanel handles the PHP-FPM configuration, then switches the log off after 24 hours so a forgotten debug setting never lingers in production. Second, the output stays private – written to a per-user path, reached entirely from the SPanel UI, with no SSH, no root, and no shared log other accounts can read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you start<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Access to the SPanel User Interface for the account that owns the domain is required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Think of a suitable threshold you want to set.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A way to reproduce the slow page yourself – the log only fills when a slow request runs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Awareness of the 24-hour window: plan to enable, reproduce, and read in one sitting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Step-by-step<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. In SPanel, open PHP Manager.<\/strong> You should see each domain on the account in its own row.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Find the domain you want to diagnose – in our example, yoga.life – and open its Actions <\/strong>menu.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        1. Click PHP Slow Log<\/strong> to open the slow log page for that domain. Enable the log and set the threshold using the drop-down. The threshold can be between 1 and 10 seconds. Click Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
          \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          1. Reproduce the slow page in your browser. Load the slow URL a few times so a request actually crosses your threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Return to the slow log page and read the captured entries. Each shows the PHP call stack of a request that ran past your threshold, pointing you at the script and function that were running.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            What happens behind the scenes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Your threshold becomes the PHP-FPM request_slowlog_timeout. When a request runs longer, PHP-FPM dumps its call stack into the log. SPanel writes that to \/var\/spanel\/userdata\/<user>\/slow-php.log, a path scoped to your account – which is why no SSH access is required and other accounts cannot see your entries. The same automation turns the setting back off after 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Limitations and edge cases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • It auto-disables after 24 hours.<\/strong> This is a time-boxed diagnostic, not a permanent setting. For an intermittent problem, re-enable it for another window rather than expecting it to stay on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • It only records requests slower than your threshold.<\/strong> Set the value too high and a moderately slow page never gets logged. If the log is empty, lower the threshold and reproduce again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • It captures the PHP call stack, not a full trace.<\/strong> You get the stack of the slow request, not a line-by-line profile or query timings. Use it to find the slow script, then dig in with your own tooling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Troubleshooting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              Symptom<\/strong><\/td>Likely cause<\/strong><\/td>What to do<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
              Log stays empty after reproducing<\/td>Threshold higher than the request’s actual time<\/td>Lower the threshold and load the slow page again<\/td><\/tr>
              Log worked, now records nothing<\/td>The 24-hour window expired and it auto-disabled<\/td>Re-enable the slow log and reproduce<\/td><\/tr>
              Stack shown but no clear cause<\/td>Slow log captures the call stack only<\/td>Use the named script as a starting point for deeper profiling<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

              When to use this \/ when not to use this<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              Use this when<\/strong><\/td>Skip or use something else when<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
              You need to find which PHP request is slow without SSH<\/td>You need continuous, always-on monitoring<\/td><\/tr>
              You can reproduce the slow page on demand<\/td>The slowness is in the database or network, not PHP<\/td><\/tr>
              You want a quick, account-scoped diagnostic<\/td>You need a full line-by-line profile<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

              FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> Do I need SSH or root access to use the slow log?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> No. You enable and read it entirely from the SPanel User Interface under Tools > PHP Manager, and the log is written to a per-user path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> Why is my slow log empty?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> Usually the threshold is higher than the request’s actual run time, so nothing qualifies. Lower it and reproduce the page; it only records requests slower than the value you set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> How long does the slow log stay enabled?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> It auto-disables after 24 hours. Enable it, capture the problem, and read the results in the same session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> What threshold should I set?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> A few seconds is a reasonable start for a page that feels slow. Set it lower if you suspect a moderately slow request rather than a stuck one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> Does the slow log show database query times?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> No. It captures the PHP call stack of the slow request, not query timings or a full trace. Use it to identify the script, then profile the database on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Q:<\/strong> Can other accounts see my slow log?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A:<\/strong> No. The log lives at a per-user path tied to your account, and you reach it only through your own SPanel session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n