How to Create Nginx on Linux Server (Step-by-Step Guide)

Nginx (pronounced “engine-x”) is a high-performance web server known for its speed, scalability, and ability to handle thousands of simultaneous connections with low resource usage. It is widely used for hosting websites, acting as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and even a mail proxy. If you want to set up a modern and efficient web environment, learning how to create Nginx on a Linux server is essential.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to install, configure, and secure Nginx on Linux, along with troubleshooting tips and best practices.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A Linux server running Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, or RHEL.
• Root or sudo privileges to run administrative commands.
• A stable internet connection for package installation.
• Basic knowledge of Linux terminal commands.

Step-by-Step Guide to Install Nginx on Linux Server

Installing Nginx on a Linux server is simple and provides a strong foundation for hosting websites and applications.

• Update Your Linux System

Always update your server before installing new software to avoid conflicts:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y   # For Ubuntu/Debian  
sudo yum update -y                       # For CentOS/RHEL  

• Install Nginx Using Package Manager

Nginx is available in the default repositories of most Linux distributions.

sudo apt install nginx -y   # For Ubuntu/Debian  
sudo yum install nginx -y   # For CentOS/RHEL

• Start and Enable Nginx Service

Once installed, start the Nginx service and enable it to run on boot:

sudo systemctl start nginx  
sudo systemctl enable nginx  

• Verify Nginx Installation

Open your browser and enter your server’s IP address. If the installation is successful, you will see the default Nginx welcome page.

Configuring Nginx Web Server

After installing Nginx, proper configuration is essential to optimize performance, manage server blocks, and ensure secure handling of web traffic. Configuration allows you to customize how Nginx serves websites and applications on your server.

• Nginx Configuration Files

The primary configuration file for Nginx is:

• /etc/nginx/nginx.conf – Main configuration file
• /etc/nginx/sites-available/ – For managing server blocks (virtual hosts)

• Setting Up a Basic HTML Test Page

Replace the default index page with your simple test file:

echo "<h1>Nginx is Running Successfully!</h1>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/index.html

• Managing Server Blocks (Virtual Hosts)

Server blocks allow you to host multiple websites on one server.

• Create a new configuration file in /etc/nginx/sites-available/
• Link it to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
• Define the server_name, root, and index directives

Restart Nginx to apply changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Securing Nginx on Linux

Securing Nginx is a vital step to protect your Linux server from threats, unauthorized access, and potential attacks. Implementing the right security measures ensures a safer, faster, and more reliable web environment.

• Configure Firewall Rules

Ensure your firewall allows HTTP and HTTPS traffic:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'   # For Ubuntu/Debian with UFW  
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http   # For CentOS/RHEL  
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https  
sudo firewall-cmd --reload 

• Enable SSL/TLS with Let’s Encrypt

Secure your websites with free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y   # For Ubuntu/Debian  
sudo yum install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y   # For CentOS/RHEL  
sudo certbot --nginx 

This will automatically configure HTTPS for your domain.

Hardening Nginx Settings:

• Disable server tokens to hide the Nginx version.
• Limit buffer sizes to prevent DDoS attacks.
• Enable HTTP/2 for faster performance.
• Regularly update Nginx to patch vulnerabilities.

Managing Nginx Services on Linux

Once Nginx is installed, you will often need to manage the service as part of server administration. Linux uses systemd (on most modern distributions) to control services like Nginx. Here are the essential commands:

• Start Nginx:

sudo systemctl start nginx

This launches the Nginx service if it is not already running.

• Stop Nginx:

sudo systemctl stop nginx

This halts the Nginx service completely, useful when applying major changes.

• Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

This stops and starts the service again — best used after making configuration changes.

• Reload Nginx Configuration:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Unlike restart, reload applies configuration changes without interrupting existing connections, which is ideal for production servers.

• Check Service Status:

sudo systemctl status nginx

This shows whether Nginx is running, inactive, or failed.

• Enable Nginx at Boot:

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Ensures Nginx automatically starts when the server reboots.

Logs play a big role in managing services. Check the logs located in /var/log/nginx/ for both access logs (traffic details) and error logs (problems with configuration or requests). Monitoring these files helps keep your server healthy.

Common Issues and Fixes

Even though Nginx is stable and lightweight, you may run into issues while running it on Linux. Below are some frequent problems and their solutions:

• Port Already in Use

Stop the conflicting service (sudo systemctl stop apache2) or change Nginx’s listening port in /etc/nginx/sites-available/.

• Configuration File Errors

Always test the configuration before restarting with:nginx -t If the test shows errors, correct them before reloading.

• Firewall Blocking Requests

Ensure firewall rules allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic (sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full' or use firewall-cmd).

• Permission Denied for Web Files

Symptom: “403 Forbidden” errors when accessing the site.Fix: Ensure that files in /var/www/html are owned by the correct user (usually www-data or nginx). Use:sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html

• High Resource Usage or Slow Performance

Enable caching, gzip compression, or tune worker processes in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf.

By systematically checking logs, running nginx -t, and ensuring proper firewall and file permissions, most issues can be resolved quickly. If problems persist, search for guides to fix Nginx issues in Linux, as the community provides many tested solutions.

FAQs to Create Nginx on Linux Server

How do I restart Nginx in Linux?

Use the following command:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

This reloads all configurations and restarts the service.

How do I check if Nginx is running on my server?

Run:

sudo systemctl status nginx

If Nginx is active, you’ll see a green “active (running)” status.

How do I enable SSL in Nginx on Linux?

The easiest method is using Certbot with Let’s Encrypt. Run:

sudo certbot --nginx

This automatically configures SSL and enables HTTPS for your site.

Conclusion

Nginx is a powerful and efficient web server for Linux environments. In this guide, we explained how to create Nginx on a Linux server, including installation, configuration, firewall setup, SSL, and troubleshooting. With its ability to handle high traffic loads and provide excellent performance, Nginx is a top choice for developers, businesses, and hosting providers. By following the steps above, you can deploy a secure and reliable Nginx server tailored to your needs. For more, visit, Nginx official documentation.