How to Install NGINX and Configure it as a Web Server on Your VPS

How to Install NGINX and Configure it as a Web Server on Your VPS

NGINX is a lightweight, high-performance web server often used to serve websites and applications. This guide will help you install and configure NGINX on your VPS.

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing any software, ensure your VPS is up to date.

• Run the following command to update the package lists and upgrade installed packages:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  

Step 2: Install NGINX

NGINX is available in the default repositories for most Linux distributions.

• On Ubuntu/Debian-based systems:

  sudo apt install nginx -y
  

• On CentOS/RHEL-based systems:

  sudo yum install epel-release -y
  sudo yum install nginx -y
  

Step 3: Start and Enable NGINX

Ensure NGINX starts automatically after a reboot and verify it is running.

• Start NGINX:

  sudo systemctl start nginx
  

• Enable NGINX to start on boot:

  sudo systemctl enable nginx
  

• Check the status of NGINX:

  sudo systemctl status nginx
  

Step 4: Adjust Firewall Settings

If your VPS uses a firewall, allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic.

• On Ubuntu/Debian with UFW:

  sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
  

• On CentOS/RHEL with firewalld:

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

Step 5: Verify NGINX Installation

• Open your web browser and enter your VPS IP address (e.g., http://your-vps-ip).
• You should see the default NGINX welcome page.

Step 6: Configure NGINX as a Web Server

To host your website, you’ll need to set up a server block (similar to virtual hosts in Apache).

• Create a directory for your website files:

  sudo mkdir -p /var/www/yourdomain.com/html
  

• Set permissions for the directory:

  sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/yourdomain.com/html
  sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/yourdomain.com
  

• Create a sample index.html file:

  echo "<h1>Welcome to yourdomain.com!</h1>" | sudo tee /var/www/yourdomain.com/html/index.html
  

Step 7: Create an NGINX Server Block

NGINX server blocks handle different websites on the same server.

• Create a new configuration file:

  sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com
  

• Add the following configuration:

  server {
      listen 80;
      server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
  
      root /var/www/yourdomain.com/html;
      index index.html;
  
      location / {
          try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
      }
  }
  

• Save and close the file.

Step 8: Enable the Server Block

• Create a symbolic link to enable the server block:

  sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
  

• Test the configuration for syntax errors:

  sudo nginx -t
  

• Reload NGINX to apply changes:

  sudo systemctl reload nginx
  

Step 9: Update Your DNS Settings

Ensure your domain points to your VPS. Update your DNS A records to use your VPS's public IP address.

Step 10: Test Your Website

• Open your browser and navigate to http://yourdomain.com.
• You should see the content of your index.html file.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ve successfully installed and configured NGINX as a web server on your VPS. You can now host websites and applications efficiently. Regularly monitor your server and update NGINX to maintain performance and security.