Nginx installation - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

Nginx is a web server that helps deliver websites and applications quickly. Installing Nginx sets up the software so your computer can serve web pages to users.

When you want to host a simple website on your own server or computer.

When you need a reverse proxy to forward requests to other servers.

When you want to serve static files like images and HTML pages efficiently.

When you want to load balance traffic between multiple backend servers.

When you want to improve website speed and handle many users at once.

Commands

This command updates the list of available software and versions on your system. It ensures you install the latest Nginx version.

Terminal

sudo apt update

Expected Output

Hit:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal InRelease

Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease [114 kB]

Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports InRelease [101 kB]

Fetched 215 kB in 1s (234 kB/s)

Reading package lists... Done

This command installs Nginx on your system. The -y flag automatically confirms the installation so it proceeds without asking you.

Terminal

sudo apt install nginx -y

Expected Output

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree       

Reading state information... Done

The following additional packages will be installed:

  nginx-common nginx-core

Suggested packages:

  fcgiwrap nginx-doc

The following NEW packages will be installed:

  nginx nginx-common nginx-core

0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Need to get 1,234 kB of archives.

After this operation, 5,678 kB of additional disk space will be used.

Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 nginx-common all 1.18.0-0ubuntu1 [1,000 kB]

Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 nginx-core amd64 1.18.0-0ubuntu1 [150 kB]

Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 nginx amd64 1.18.0-0ubuntu1 [84.0 kB]

Fetched 1,234 kB in 2s (617 kB/s)

Selecting previously unselected package nginx-common.

(Reading database ... 123456 files and directories currently installed.)

Preparing to unpack .../nginx-common_1.18.0-0ubuntu1_all.deb ...

Unpacking nginx-common (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Selecting previously unselected package nginx-core.

Preparing to unpack .../nginx-core_1.18.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...

Unpacking nginx-core (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Selecting previously unselected package nginx.

Preparing to unpack .../nginx_1.18.0-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...

Unpacking nginx (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Setting up nginx-common (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Setting up nginx-core (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Setting up nginx (1.18.0-0ubuntu1) ...

Processing triggers for systemd (245.4-4ubuntu3.13) ...

Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...

→

-y - Automatically confirm installation prompts

This command starts the Nginx service so it begins running and can serve web pages.

Terminal

sudo systemctl start nginx

Expected Output

No output (command runs silently)

This command checks if Nginx is running properly and shows its current status.

Terminal

sudo systemctl status nginx

Expected Output

● nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server

     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)

     Active: active (running) since Fri 2024-06-14 10:00:00 UTC; 10s ago

       Docs: man:nginx(8)

   Main PID: 1234 (nginx)

      Tasks: 3 (limit: 1137)

     Memory: 5.0M

     CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service

             ├─1234 nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx -g daemon on; master_process on;

             ├─1235 nginx: worker process

             └─1236 nginx: worker process



Jun 14 10:00:00 ubuntu systemd[1]: Started A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server.

This command sends a simple request to the local Nginx server to check if it responds with the default web page headers.

Terminal

curl -I http://localhost

Expected Output

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

Server: nginx/1.18.0 (Ubuntu)

Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2024 10:00:10 GMT

Content-Type: text/html

Content-Length: 612

Last-Modified: Tue, 12 May 2020 15:00:00 GMT

Connection: keep-alive

ETag: "5eb3-5c1a5a3f4f400"

Accept-Ranges: bytes

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from this pattern, remember: installing Nginx requires updating your system, installing the package, starting the service, and verifying it runs.

Common Mistakes

Skipping 'sudo apt update' before installing Nginx

Your system might install an outdated version or fail to find the package.

Always run 'sudo apt update' first to refresh package lists.

Not starting the Nginx service after installation

Nginx will not run, so your web server won't respond to requests.

Run 'sudo systemctl start nginx' to launch the service.

Not checking the status of Nginx after starting it

You might miss errors or failures that prevent Nginx from running.

Use 'sudo systemctl status nginx' to confirm it is active and running.

Summary

Update your system package list with 'sudo apt update' before installing software.

Install Nginx using 'sudo apt install nginx -y' to get the latest stable version.

Start the Nginx service with 'sudo systemctl start nginx' so it can serve web pages.

Check Nginx status using 'sudo systemctl status nginx' to ensure it is running.

Test the server response locally with 'curl -I http://localhost' to confirm installation.

Practice

1. What is the primary purpose of installing Nginx on a server?

easy

A. To compile software code

B. To manage database connections

C. To serve web pages and handle web traffic

D. To monitor system hardware

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Nginx's role

   Nginx is a web server software used to serve web pages and manage web traffic.

2. Step 2: Compare options

   The options for compiling software, managing database connections, and monitoring hardware are unrelated to Nginx's main function.

3. Final Answer:

   To serve web pages and handle web traffic -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Nginx = Web server [OK]

Hint: Nginx is a web server, not a database or compiler [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Nginx with database software
• Thinking Nginx compiles code
• Assuming Nginx monitors hardware

2. Which command correctly installs Nginx on a Debian-based system?

easy

A. sudo yum install nginx

B. sudo apt-get install nginx

C. sudo pacman -S nginx

D. sudo dnf install nginx

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify package manager for Debian

   Debian-based systems use apt or apt-get for package management.

2. Step 2: Match command to Debian

   Only 'sudo apt-get install nginx' uses the correct package manager for Debian.

3. Final Answer:

   sudo apt-get install nginx -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Debian uses apt-get [OK]

Hint: Use apt-get for Debian, yum/dnf for RedHat, pacman for Arch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using yum on Debian systems
• Using pacman on non-Arch systems
• Confusing dnf with apt-get

3. After installing Nginx, what is the output of sudo systemctl status nginx if Nginx is running correctly?

medium

A. Active: active (running)

B. nginx: command not found

C. Failed to start nginx.service: Unit not found.

D. Active: inactive (dead)

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand systemctl status output

   The command shows service status; 'active (running)' means the service is running.

2. Step 2: Identify correct output for running service

   Only Active: active (running) shows 'Active: active (running)', indicating Nginx is running properly.

3. Final Answer:

   Active: active (running) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Running service = active (running) [OK]

Hint: Look for 'active (running)' in status output [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing inactive with active
• Thinking 'Unit not found' means running
• Misreading command not found as service status

4. You ran sudo systemctl start nginx but Nginx did not start. Which command helps you find the error logs to debug?

medium

A. sudo nginx -v

B. sudo apt-get update

C. sudo systemctl enable nginx

D. sudo journalctl -u nginx

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify command for viewing service logs

   To debug service start issues, check logs with 'journalctl -u nginx'.

2. Step 2: Eliminate unrelated commands

   'sudo nginx -v' shows version, 'sudo systemctl enable nginx' enables service on boot, 'sudo apt-get update' updates packages; none show logs.

3. Final Answer:

   sudo journalctl -u nginx -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Logs for debugging = journalctl -u nginx [OK]

Hint: Use journalctl -u nginx to see service logs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using version check instead of logs
• Enabling service instead of checking logs
• Running package update unrelated to debugging

5. To ensure Nginx starts automatically after a server reboot, which command should you run?

hard

A. sudo systemctl enable nginx

B. sudo systemctl start nginx

C. sudo systemctl restart nginx

D. sudo systemctl stop nginx

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand systemctl enable

   Enabling a service configures it to start automatically on boot.

2. Step 2: Differentiate start and enable

   Start runs service now; enable sets auto-start on reboot. Restart and stop do not enable auto-start.

3. Final Answer:

   sudo systemctl enable nginx -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Auto-start service = systemctl enable [OK]

Hint: Enable service to auto-start on boot, start only runs now [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing start with enable
• Using restart instead of enable
• Stopping service instead of enabling