How to Redirect HTTP to HTTPS in Nginx: Simple Guide

To redirect http traffic to https in Nginx, use a server block listening on port 80 with a return 301 https://$host$request_uri; directive. This sends a permanent redirect to the HTTPS version of the requested URL.

Syntax

The basic syntax to redirect HTTP to HTTPS in Nginx involves creating a server block that listens on port 80 (HTTP) and uses the return directive to send a 301 redirect to the HTTPS URL.

• server {}: Defines a server block.
• listen 80;: Listens on HTTP port 80.
• server_name: Specifies the domain name(s) to match.
• return 301 https://$host$request_uri;: Sends a permanent redirect to the HTTPS version of the requested URL.

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

Example

This example shows a complete Nginx configuration snippet that redirects all HTTP requests to HTTPS for the domain example.com and www.example.com. When a user visits http://example.com/page, they are redirected to https://example.com/page.

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/example.com.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/example.com.key;

    location / {
        root /var/www/html;
        index index.html;
    }
}

Output

When accessing http://example.com/page, the browser receives a 301 redirect to https://example.com/page.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when redirecting HTTP to HTTPS in Nginx include:

• Forgetting to specify listen 80; in the redirect server block, so it doesn't catch HTTP requests.
• Using rewrite instead of return 301, which is less efficient for simple redirects.
• Not including all domain variants in server_name, causing some requests to not redirect.
• Missing SSL certificate configuration in the HTTPS server block, leading to SSL errors.

Example of a wrong and right redirect:

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;
    # Wrong: Using rewrite for redirect
    rewrite ^ https://$host$request_uri? permanent;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;
    # Right: Using return for redirect
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

Quick Reference

Summary tips for HTTP to HTTPS redirection in Nginx:

• Use return 301 https://$host$request_uri; for efficient permanent redirects.
• Listen on port 80 in the redirect server block.
• Include all domain names in server_name.
• Configure SSL certificates properly in the HTTPS server block.

Key Takeaways

Always use a server block listening on port 80 with a return 301 directive to redirect HTTP to HTTPS.

Use the syntax return 301 https://$host$request_uri; for a clean and efficient redirect.

Include all your domain names in the server_name directive to cover all requests.

Configure SSL certificates correctly in the HTTPS server block to avoid errors.

Avoid using rewrite for simple redirects; return is faster and clearer.