Linux for Developers: Monthly Maintenance Checklist

Most problems in Linux do not appear due to a major catastrophe, but rather due to accumulated small things: full disk, hung services, uncontrolled logs, outdated packages.

This post leaves you with a monthly checklist that you can execute in 30-45 minutes.

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1) Disk and basic cleaning

Start with visibility:

df -h
du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null | sort -h

Then clean carefully:

large caches that you don’t use,
old artifacts,
excessive local logs,
deprecated images/containers if you work with Docker.

If you don’t know what to delete, first move it to the temporary folder and validate it for 7 days.

2) Updates without breaking setup

It is not “updating for the sake of updating”. Do it in order:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Then validate:

critical tools (git, node, docker),
audio/network/peripherals,
local services.

3) Network and connectivity

Quick checklist:

DNS resolves well?
stable ethernet/wifi speed?
Does VPN interfere with local routes?

4) Services and processes

Review consumer processes:

ps aux --sort=-%mem | head -10
ps aux --sort=-%cpu | head -10

If there is recurrent abnormal consumption, document the cause and corrective action.

5) Backups and recovery

“I make a backup” is not enough. You should be able to restore.

Checklist:

dotfile backup,
backup of critical projects,
monthly restore test in temporary folder.

6) Basic security

validate SSH access and active keys,
check unnecessary open ports,
keep basic firewall configured.

7) Monthly close (10 minutes)

Leave a brief record:

maintenance date,
findings,
pending actions.

This gives you traceability and reduces reactive debugging.

Closing

Stable Linux doesn’t depend on luck, it depends on routine. A small but constant checklist avoids most major pain.

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