Exact match (=) in Nginx - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the = symbol mean in an nginx location block?

It means the location will match the request URI exactly, without any extra characters or variations.

beginner

How does nginx treat a location = /path compared to location /path?

The = /path matches only the exact URI /path, while /path matches any URI starting with /path.

intermediate

Why use = for exact match in nginx locations?

To ensure that only requests with the exact URI are handled by that block, avoiding partial or prefix matches.

intermediate

What happens if multiple nginx location blocks match a request URI and one uses =?

The exact match location with = is chosen first before prefix or regex matches.

beginner

Write a simple nginx location block using exact match for URI /hello.

location = /hello { return 200 "Hello exact match!"; }

What does location = /test match in nginx?

A All URIs

B Any URI starting with /test

C Any URI containing /test anywhere

D Only the URI exactly equal to /test

The '=' sign means exact match, so only the URI exactly '/test' matches.

If you have location = /foo and location /foo, which handles the request to /foo?

A location /foo

B Neither

C location = /foo

D Both equally

Exact match with '=' has higher priority and will handle the request.

Can location = / be used to match only the homepage URI exactly?

A Yes

B No

C Only with regex

D Only with prefix

Using '=' with '/' matches only the exact homepage URI.

What is the main benefit of using exact match = in nginx locations?

A Matches all URIs

B Faster matching for specific URIs

C Allows regex inside location

D Disables caching

Exact match is faster and more precise for specific URIs.

Which symbol is used in nginx to specify an exact match in a location block?

A =

B ^~

C ~

D *

The '=' symbol is used for exact match in nginx location blocks.

Explain how nginx processes location blocks when one uses exact match (=) and others use prefix matches.

Think about priority order in nginx location matching.

Describe a scenario where using exact match (=) in nginx location is better than prefix match.

Consider when you want to be very precise about which requests are handled.