How to install Nginx

Quick answer: Install Nginx from your distribution's repository — sudo apt install nginx on Ubuntu/Debian or sudo dnf install nginx on AlmaLinux/Rocky — then enable it with systemctl enable --now nginx and open ports 80/443 in the firewall.

Overview

Nginx is the most popular web server and reverse proxy on Linux VPS: fast, memory-efficient and simple to configure once you know the layout. It serves static sites directly and proxies dynamic apps (PHP-FPM, Node.js, Python) behind it.

Before you start

• A Linux server with root/sudo access.
• No other web server bound to port 80 (check with sudo ss -tlnp | grep :80).
• Optionally a domain pointed at your server IP.

Step-by-step guide

1. Install:

   # Ubuntu/Debian
   sudo apt update && sudo apt -y install nginx
   # AlmaLinux/Rocky
   sudo dnf -y install nginx

2. Enable and start:

   sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
   systemctl status nginx

3. Open the firewall:

   # UFW (Ubuntu/Debian)
   sudo ufw allow 80/tcp && sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
   # firewalld (Alma/Rocky)
   sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http --add-service=https && sudo firewall-cmd --reload

4. Visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP — you should see the Nginx welcome page.
5. Add your site: create a server block in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ (Debian family) or /etc/nginx/conf.d/ (RHEL family), then test and reload:

   sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl reload nginx

Common issues

• Port 80 already in use: Apache may be running — stop/disable it or change ports.
• Config error on reload: always run nginx -t first; it names the bad line.
• 403/404 on your site: check root path and file permissions; on RHEL family also SELinux contexts.

When to contact support

Software configuration on an unmanaged server is up to you, but if the server itself is unreachable or you suspect a network issue, open a ticket.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose Nginx or Apache?

Nginx is lighter and faster at high concurrency and is the usual default today. Choose Apache when your application depends on .htaccess files or Apache-specific modules.

Why do I see the Nginx welcome page instead of my site?

Your server block is not active yet. Check the root path, enable the site config, then run "nginx -t" and reload — the default site answers until yours matches the request.

How do I add HTTPS to Nginx?

Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate with certbot: "apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx" then "certbot --nginx" configures HTTPS and renewal automatically.

Related articles

• How to install PHP
• How to install Apache
• How to install MariaDB or MySQL
• How to configure UFW firewall

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