Reload is tempting; restart is often the reliable fix when behavior doesn’t change. This short guide explains the difference and when to use each.
Practical rule
- Try reload when you want the least disruption
- Use restart when the new behavior still doesn’t show up
Why this happens
- Some pool settings only take effect when workers are recreated
- Pools and systemd units can behave slightly differently across distros
Commands
- Reload:
sudo systemctl reload php*-fpm - Restart:
sudo systemctl restart php*-fpm
FAQ
When would I choose reload?
For small config tweaks (e.g. one pool’s pm.max_children). If you changed socket paths, pool names, or PHP version, prefer restart and then verify Apache is pointing at the right socket.
Related
- Using PHP-FPM pools per WordPress site — per-site pools
- PHP version drift on multi-site servers — version and pool alignment