Separate config files per site in Nginx - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

Why use separate config files for each site in nginx?

Using separate config files helps organize settings, makes it easier to manage multiple sites, and allows enabling or disabling sites without affecting others.

beginner

Where are separate site config files usually stored in nginx?

They are typically stored in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory, with symbolic links in /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ to activate them.

intermediate

What command activates a site config in nginx when using separate files?

You create a symbolic link from /etc/nginx/sites-available/your-site to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/your-site using ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/your-site /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/your-site.

beginner

How do you reload nginx after adding or changing a site config file?

Run sudo nginx -t to test the config, then sudo systemctl reload nginx to apply changes without downtime.

intermediate

What is the purpose of the include directive in nginx main config for separate site files?

It tells nginx to load all site config files from a directory, usually include /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/*;, so each site config is read automatically.

Where should you place individual site config files in nginx?

A /etc/nginx/sites-available/

B /var/www/html/

C /usr/local/nginx/conf/

D /etc/nginx/conf.d/

Site config files are placed in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ for organization and management.

How do you enable a site config in nginx after creating it in sites-available?

A Copy it to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

B Edit /etc/nginx/nginx.conf directly

C Create a symbolic link in /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

D Restart the server without changes

Creating a symbolic link in sites-enabled activates the site config.

What command checks nginx config syntax before reloading?

A nginx -t

B nginx -c

C nginx -s reload

D systemctl status nginx

The command nginx -t tests the configuration syntax.

What does the include directive do in nginx config?

A Creates symbolic links

B Starts the nginx server

C Disables site configs

D Includes external files into the main config

The include directive loads other config files into nginx's main configuration.

Why is it better to use separate config files per site?

A To reduce server memory

B To organize and manage sites easily

C To speed up nginx startup

D To avoid using symbolic links

Separate files help keep site configs organized and easy to manage.

Explain how to set up nginx to serve multiple websites using separate config files.

Think about file locations, linking, and commands to reload.

Describe the benefits of using separate config files per site in nginx.

Consider how managing many sites is easier this way.