How to Create Virtual Host in Nginx: Simple Guide

To create a virtual host in nginx, define a server block inside the configuration files, specifying the server_name and root directory. Then reload nginx to apply the changes.

Syntax

The basic syntax for creating a virtual host in nginx uses a server block. Inside it, you specify the listen port, server_name for the domain, and root for the website files.

• listen: Port number to listen on (usually 80 for HTTP).
• server_name: Domain or IP address for this virtual host.
• root: Path to the website files served.
• index: Default file to serve (like index.html).

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    root /var/www/example.com/html;
    index index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Example

This example shows a complete virtual host configuration for the domain example.com. It listens on port 80 and serves files from /var/www/example.com/html. The location block handles requests and returns a 404 error if the file is not found.

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    root /var/www/example.com/html;
    index index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Output

nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful
Reloading nginx: nginx.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when creating virtual hosts in nginx include:

• Forgetting to reload or restart nginx after changes.
• Not setting correct server_name, causing requests to go to the default server.
• Incorrect root path or missing website files.
• Syntax errors in the config file causing nginx to fail.

Always test your configuration with nginx -t before reloading.

bash

## Wrong: Missing reload
# sudo nginx -t
# sudo systemctl reload nginx

## Right:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Output

nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful
Reloading nginx: nginx.

Quick Reference

Directive	Purpose
listen	Port number to listen on (e.g., 80 for HTTP)
server_name	Domain names this virtual host responds to
root	Directory path for website files
index	Default file to serve (e.g., index.html)
location	Block to define request handling rules

Key Takeaways

Define a server block with listen, server_name, and root to create a virtual host.

Always test your configuration with nginx -t before reloading the server.

Reload nginx after changes to apply the new virtual host settings.

Ensure the server_name matches the domain you want to serve.

Check that the root directory contains your website files.