Named locations (@) in Nginx - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What is the output status code when accessing /test?

Given the following nginx configuration, what HTTP status code will the client receive when requesting /test?

Nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    location /test {
        return 302 @redirect;
    }
    location @redirect {
        return 404;
    }
}

A 404 Not Found

B 200 OK

C 302 Found

D 500 Internal Server Error

💡 Hint

Look at what the named location @redirect returns.

The /test location returns a 302 redirect to the named location @redirect. The @redirect location returns a 404 status, so the client ultimately receives 404 Not Found.

❓ Configuration

intermediate

Which configuration correctly uses a named location to serve a maintenance page?

Select the nginx configuration snippet that correctly uses a named location @maintenance to serve a static maintenance page when /maintenance is requested.

A

location /maintenance {
    proxy_pass @maintenance;
}
location @maintenance {
    root /var/www/html;
    try_files /maintenance.html =404;
}

B

location /maintenance {
    return 302 @maintenance;
}
location @maintenance {
    root /var/www/html;
    try_files /maintenance.html =404;
}

C

location /maintenance {
    rewrite ^ /maintenance.html break;
}
location @maintenance {
    root /var/www/html;
    try_files /maintenance.html =404;
}

D

location /maintenance {
    return 301 /maintenance.html;
}
location @maintenance {
    root /var/www/html;
    try_files /maintenance.html =404;
}

💡 Hint

Named locations are used with return or error_page directives, not proxy_pass.

Option B correctly uses return 302 to redirect to the named location @maintenance, which serves the static file. Proxy_pass cannot target named locations, and rewrite with break does not invoke named locations.

❓ Troubleshoot

advanced

Why does the named location @error not get triggered?

Given this nginx config, why does the named location @error never get used when a 500 error occurs?

server {
    listen 80;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://backend;
        error_page 500 @error;
    }
    location @error {
        return 503 'Service temporarily unavailable';
    }
}

A The error_page directive must be outside the location block to work with named locations.

B Named locations cannot be used with error_page directives.

C The backend server does not return a 500 error, so @error is never triggered.

D The return directive inside @error is invalid and causes the location to be ignored.

💡 Hint

Check the backend server response and error_page usage.

Named locations can be used with error_page inside location blocks. The return directive is valid. If the backend never returns 500, the named location @error won't be triggered.

🔀 Workflow

advanced

What is the sequence of location processing when using named locations?

Consider this nginx configuration:

location /start {
    return 302 @next;
}
location @next {
    proxy_pass http://backend;
}

What is the correct sequence of processing when a client requests /start?

A Client requests /start → nginx returns 302 redirect to @next → client requests @next → nginx proxies to backend

B Client requests /start → nginx internally redirects to @next → nginx proxies to backend without client redirect

C Client requests /start → nginx returns 200 OK with content from @next location

D Client requests /start → nginx returns 404 because @next is a named location

💡 Hint

Named locations starting with @ are internal and cannot be requested directly by clients.

The return 302 @next sends a redirect response to the client. The client then makes a new request to the URI '@next', which is invalid as a URI, so this is a misconfiguration. However, nginx treats the @next as a named location internally only if used with internal redirects, not with return 302. So the client receives a redirect to '@next' which is invalid. Thus, option A is the closest correct sequence, but in practice this config causes client error.

✅ Best Practice

expert

Which is the best way to use named locations for internal rewrites without client redirects?

You want to internally rewrite requests to /oldpath to a named location @newpath without telling the client to redirect. Which configuration snippet achieves this correctly?

A

location /oldpath {
    proxy_pass @newpath;
}
location @newpath {
    proxy_pass http://backend;
}

B

location /oldpath {
    return 302 @newpath;
}
location @newpath {
    proxy_pass http://backend;
}

C

location /oldpath {
    rewrite ^ /newpath break;
}
location @newpath {
    proxy_pass http://backend;
}

D

location /oldpath {
    error_page 418 = @newpath;
    return 418;
}
location @newpath {
    proxy_pass http://backend;
}

💡 Hint

Use error_page with a custom code to trigger internal named location rewrites.

Option D uses a custom error code 418 to trigger an internal redirect to the named location @newpath without client involvement. Option D sends a client redirect which exposes the named location. Option D rewrites to /newpath which is not a named location. Option D tries to proxy_pass to a named location which is invalid.