How do I fix symlink issues with storage on shared hosting?

Answer: If php artisan storage:link fails, manually create a symlink or adjust your file structure based on your hosting provider's limitations.

Manual Symlink Creation:

If the artisan command fails, create the symlink manually:

ln -s /path/to/taskify/storage/app/public /path/to/taskify/public/storage

Shared Hosting Limitations:

Some shared hosting providers block symlinks for security reasons. In this case:

1. Contact hosting support to enable symlinks
2. Use alternative file structure if symlinks are not allowed
3. Configure file uploads to use a different approach

Alternative Solutions:

Option 1: Direct File Access

Configure your application to serve files directly from storage:

// In your .env file
FILESYSTEM_DISK=public

Option 2: Custom Route

Create a custom route to serve files:

Route::get('/storage/{path}', function ($path) {
    return response()->file(storage_path('app/public/' . $path));
})->where('path', '.*');

Option 3: CDN Integration

Use a CDN service to serve your files instead of local storage.

Verification:

After creating the symlink, verify it works:

ls -la public/storage

You should see a symlink pointing to your storage directory.