How to Install Nginx on CentOS: Step-by-Step Guide

To install nginx on CentOS, first update your system with sudo yum update. Then install nginx using sudo yum install nginx and start it with sudo systemctl start nginx. Enable it to run on boot with sudo systemctl enable nginx.

Syntax

Here are the main commands to install and manage nginx on CentOS:

• sudo yum update: Updates system packages.
• sudo yum install nginx: Installs nginx web server.
• sudo systemctl start nginx: Starts the nginx service.
• sudo systemctl enable nginx: Enables nginx to start on boot.
• sudo systemctl status nginx: Checks nginx service status.

bash

sudo yum update
sudo yum install nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl status nginx

Example

This example shows the full process to install and start nginx on CentOS. It updates the system, installs nginx, starts the service, enables it on boot, and checks its status.

bash

sudo yum update -y
sudo yum install nginx -y
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl status nginx

Output

● nginx.service - The nginx HTTP and reverse proxy server
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
   Active: active (running) since Thu 2024-06-20 12:00:00 UTC; 1min ago
 Main PID: 1234 (nginx)
   CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service
           ├─1234 nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx
           └─1235 nginx: worker process

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when installing nginx on CentOS include:

• Not running yum update first, which can cause package conflicts.
• Forgetting to start the nginx service after installation.
• Not enabling nginx to start on boot, so it stops after reboot.
• Firewall blocking HTTP traffic; remember to allow port 80 if needed.

To allow HTTP traffic through the firewall, run:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

bash

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Output

success
success

Quick Reference

Command	Description
sudo yum update -y	Update all system packages
sudo yum install nginx -y	Install nginx web server
sudo systemctl start nginx	Start nginx service
sudo systemctl enable nginx	Enable nginx to start on boot
sudo systemctl status nginx	Check nginx service status
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http	Allow HTTP traffic through firewall
sudo firewall-cmd --reload	Reload firewall to apply changes

Key Takeaways

Always update your CentOS system before installing nginx to avoid conflicts.

Use yum to install nginx and systemctl to start and enable the service.

Enable nginx to start automatically on system boot with systemctl enable.

Check nginx status to confirm it is running properly after installation.

Remember to allow HTTP traffic through the firewall for nginx to serve web pages.