Install Nginx on Ubuntu/Debian

Nginx is a lightweight, high-performance web server. This guide shows you how to install it on Ubuntu or Debian.

Step 1: Update your package manager

Before installing anything, refresh your package lists:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Nginx

Install the Nginx package:

sudo apt install -y nginx

On RHEL/CentOS, use dnf install nginx instead.

Step 3: Start and enable Nginx

Start the service:

sudo systemctl start nginx

Enable it to start automatically on boot:

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 4: Verify Nginx is running

Check the status:

sudo systemctl status nginx

You should see active (running).

Step 5: Test in your browser

Open your browser and visit http://your-server-ip. You should see the Nginx welcome page.

If you can't reach it, check your firewall or security group:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw enable

(If ufw is not installed, use your cloud provider's security group settings instead.)

Common commands

Reload Nginx after config changes (without stopping traffic):

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Stop Nginx:

sudo systemctl stop nginx

Check the configuration for syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

Tips

• Nginx configuration files are in /etc/nginx/
• The main config is /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
• Individual site configs go in /etc/nginx/sites-available/
• Create a server block (virtual host) to point Nginx to your website files