proxy_pass directive in Nginx - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the proxy_pass directive in nginx?

The proxy_pass directive tells nginx to forward client requests to another server or service, acting as a middleman to pass requests and responses.

beginner

How do you use proxy_pass to forward requests to http://localhost:8080?

Inside an nginx location block, write: <br>

proxy_pass http://localhost:8080;

This sends matching requests to the server running on port 8080 on the same machine.

intermediate

What happens if you omit the trailing slash in proxy_pass URL?

If the URL in proxy_pass does not end with a slash, nginx replaces the matching part of the request URI with the URL path. This can change the request path sent to the backend.

beginner

Can proxy_pass be used to forward requests to an HTTPS backend?

Yes, you can use proxy_pass https://backend-server; to forward requests securely to an HTTPS backend server.

intermediate

What directive is commonly used with proxy_pass to set the original host header?

The directive proxy_set_header Host $host; is often used with proxy_pass to pass the original host header to the backend server.

What does the proxy_pass directive do in nginx?

A Forwards client requests to another server

B Blocks client requests

C Caches static files

D Starts the nginx server

proxy_pass forwards requests to another server or service, acting as a reverse proxy.

Which of the following is a correct proxy_pass usage to forward to http://example.com?

A proxy_pass http://example.com;

B proxy_pass example.com;

C proxy_pass https://example.com

D proxy_pass //example.com;

The URL must include the scheme like http:// or https://.

What is the effect of adding a trailing slash to the URL in proxy_pass?

A It disables proxying

B It changes how the request URI is forwarded

C It enables caching

D It restarts nginx

A trailing slash changes how nginx modifies the request URI when forwarding.

Can proxy_pass forward requests to an HTTPS backend?

A Only if SSL is disabled

B No, only HTTP backends are supported

C Yes, by specifying <code>https://</code> in the URL

D Only with extra modules

Using https:// in the proxy_pass URL forwards requests securely.

Which directive is used to pass the original host header to the backend when using proxy_pass?

A proxy_cache on;

B proxy_redirect off;

C proxy_buffering off;

D proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header Host $host; passes the original host header to the backend server.

Explain how the proxy_pass directive works in nginx and why it is useful.

Think about nginx acting like a middleman between clients and backend servers.

Describe the difference in behavior when using a trailing slash versus no trailing slash in the proxy_pass URL.

Focus on how nginx changes the request path sent to the backend.