Hello and welcome to this comprehensive guide on nginx ubuntu server 16 04! In this article, we will be diving deep into the world of nginx and how it can be used to optimize your server performance on Ubuntu 16 04. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, this guide is designed to provide you with all the information you need to get started with nginx. So, let’s get started!
Chapter 1: Introduction to nginx
nginx is a free, open-source HTTP server and reverse proxy, as well as a mail proxy server. It is designed to efficiently handle high-volume traffic, while consuming minimal resources. nginx is known for its speed, reliability, and ease of configuration. It is used by some of the world’s largest websites, including Netflix, Airbnb, and Dropbox.
nginx is available for a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS. In this guide, we will be focusing on nginx on Ubuntu 16 04.
What is Ubuntu 16 04?
Ubuntu 16 04 is a long-term support (LTS) release of the Ubuntu operating system. LTS releases are designed for enterprise and production environments, and are supported with security updates and bug fixes for five years from the date of release. Ubuntu 16 04 was released on April 21, 2016.
Now that we have a basic understanding of what nginx and Ubuntu 16 04 are, let’s move on to setting up an nginx server.
Chapter 2: Setting Up nginx on Ubuntu 16 04
Before we can start using nginx, we need to install it on our Ubuntu 16 04 server. This can be done using the apt package manager.
Step 1: Update the System
The first thing we need to do is update our system packages to the latest version. This can be done using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo apt-get update | Updates the package list for upgrades and installing new packages |
After running this command, the system will check for available updates and prompt you to install them. You can install them using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo apt-get upgrade | Upgrades the system with available updates |
Step 2: Install nginx
Now that our system is up to date, we can proceed with installing nginx. This can be done using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo apt-get install nginx | Installs nginx on the system |
After running this command, the system will download and install nginx on your server. Once the installation is complete, you can check the status of the nginx service using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo systemctl status nginx | Checks the status of the nginx service |
If nginx is running, you should see a message that says “Active (running)”.
Step 3: Configure nginx
By default, nginx is configured to serve the files in the /var/www/html directory. You can verify this by opening your web browser and navigating to your server’s IP address. You should see the default nginx welcome page.
If you want to serve a different directory or website, you will need to configure nginx. The nginx configuration files are located in the /etc/nginx directory.
The main nginx configuration file is nginx.conf. This file contains the global nginx configurations, such as the worker processes, server blocks, and log locations.
The server blocks are the individual website configurations. Each server block is defined in a separate file in the /etc/nginx/sites-available directory. To enable a server block, you need to create a symbolic link to the file in the /etc/nginx/sites-enabled directory.
Once you have made changes to the nginx configuration files, you can test the configuration using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo nginx -t | Tests the nginx configuration for syntax errors |
If there are no syntax errors, you can reload the nginx service to apply the changes using the following command:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo systemctl reload nginx | Reloads the nginx service to apply configuration changes |
Chapter 3: Optimizing nginx Performance
Now that we have installed and configured nginx on our Ubuntu 16 04 server, let’s take a look at some ways we can optimize its performance.
1. Enable gzip Compression
gzip compression is used to compress files before they are sent over the network, which can greatly reduce the file size and improve website performance. To enable gzip compression in nginx, you need to add the following lines to your nginx.conf file:
| gzip on; | Enables gzip compression |
|---|---|
| gzip_disable “msie6”; | Disables gzip compression for Internet Explorer 6 |
| gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript text/xml application/xml application/xml+rss text/javascript; | Sets the file types that should be compressed |
2. Cache Static Content
Caching is the process of storing website content in memory or on disk, so that it can be served more quickly to users. nginx has built-in support for caching, which can greatly improve website performance. To enable caching in nginx, you need to add the following lines to your nginx.conf file:
| proxy_cache_path /var/cache/nginx levels=1:2 keys_zone=my_cache:10m inactive=60m; | Sets the cache path, zone, and expiration time |
|---|---|
| proxy_cache_key “$scheme$request_method$host$request_uri$is_args$args”; | Sets the cache key to include the request method, host, URI, and query string |
| proxy_cache_valid 200 60m; | Sets the cache time for successful responses |
3. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of servers that is used to distribute website content geographically. By using a CDN, you can reduce the distance between your server and your website visitors, which can greatly improve website performance. nginx has built-in support for CDN integration, including Amazon CloudFront, Akamai, and Limelight Networks.
4. Optimize SSL/TLS Configuration
SSL/TLS is used to encrypt website traffic, which can protect sensitive information from being intercepted by hackers. However, enabling SSL/TLS can also impact website performance, as it adds extra overhead to each request. To optimize SSL/TLS configuration in nginx, you can use the following settings:
| ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3; | Sets the SSL/TLS protocols to use |
|---|---|
| ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on; | Uses the server’s preferred ciphers over the client’s |
| ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m; | Sets the SSL session cache to use |
Chapter 4: FAQs
Q1. What is nginx?
A1. nginx is a free, open-source HTTP server and reverse proxy, as well as a mail proxy server. It is designed to efficiently handle high-volume traffic, while consuming minimal resources. nginx is known for its speed, reliability, and ease of configuration.
Q2. What is Ubuntu 16 04?
A2. Ubuntu 16 04 is a long-term support (LTS) release of the Ubuntu operating system. LTS releases are designed for enterprise and production environments, and are supported with security updates and bug fixes for five years from the date of release.
Q3. How do I install nginx on Ubuntu 16 04?
A3. You can install nginx on Ubuntu 16 04 using the apt package manager. First, update the system with the latest packages using sudo apt-get update and sudo apt-get upgrade. Then, install nginx using sudo apt-get install nginx.
Q4. How do I configure nginx?
A4. nginx configuration files are located in the /etc/nginx directory. The main nginx configuration file is nginx.conf, which contains the global nginx configurations. Individual website configurations are defined in separate files in the /etc/nginx/sites-available directory. To enable a server block, create a symbolic link to the file in the /etc/nginx/sites-enabled directory.
Q5. How do I optimize nginx performance?
A5. You can optimize nginx performance by enabling gzip compression, caching static content, using a content delivery network (CDN), and optimizing SSL/TLS configuration.