Hey there! Looking to install Nginx on your CentOS 7 server?
No worries, we've got you covered. Nginx is a popular web server that can be easily installed on CentOS 7 in just a few simple steps. In this article, I'll walk you through the installation process so you can get up and running with Nginx quickly.
So, let's get started!
What is Nginx?
Nginx is a high-performance web server software. It is a considerably more versatile and lightweight application than Apache HTTP Server.
This guide will show you how to install and run Nginx on your CentOS 7 server.
Step One—Add Nginx Repository
To add the CentOS 7 EPEL repository, open the terminal and perform the following command:
sudo yum install epel-release
Step Two—Install Nginx
Now that the Nginx repository is installed on your server, install Nginx using the following yum command:
sudo yum install nginx
After you agree to the question, Nginx will complete installing on your virtual private server (VPS).
Step Three—Start Nginx
Nginx does not start on its own. To get Nginx running, type:
sudo systemctl start nginx
If you are using a firewall, use the following instructions to enable HTTP and HTTPS traffic:
sudo firewall-cmd —permanent —zone=public —add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd —permanent —zone=public —add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd —reload
You may run a spot check right immediately to verify that everything went as intended by accessing your server’s public IP address in your web browser (see the note under the following item to find out what your public IP address is if you do not have this information already):
http://server domain name or IP/
Before proceeding, you will probably want to enable Nginx to start when your system boots. To do so, type the following command:
sudo systemctl enable nginx
Congratulations! Nginx is now set up and operating!
How To Find Your Server’s Public IP Address
To obtain your server’s public IP address, locate the network interfaces on your system by typing:
ip addr
1. lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN
. . .
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP qlen 1000
. . .
You may notice a variety of interfaces here based on the hardware available on your server. The lo interface is the local loopback interface, which we do not want. In our example above, the eth0 interface is what we desire.
Once you have the interface name, you can execute the following command to expose your server’s public IP address. Substitute the interface name you found above:
IP addr show eth0 | grep inet | awk '{ print $2; }' | sed 's/\/.*$/'
Server Root and Configuration
If you wish to start delivering your pages or application using Nginx, you will want to know the locations of the Nginx configuration files and default server root directory.
Default Server Root
The default server root directory is /usr/share/nginx/HTML. Files that are stored in there will be served on your web server. This location is defined in the default server block configuration file with Nginx, which is stored at /etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf.
Server Block Configuration
Any extra server blocks, known as Virtual Hosts in Apache, may be added by generating new configuration files in /etc/nginx/conf.d. Files that end with .conf in that directory will be loaded when Nginx is started.
Nginx Global Configuration
The primary Nginx configuration file is stored in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf. This is where you may alter parameters like the user that runs the Nginx daemon processes and the number of worker processes launched while Nginx is operating, among other things.
Conclusion
That's all you need to know about installing Nginx on your CentOS 7. Following this article's steps, you can easily install Nginx on your CentOS 7 server. Also, ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements and that you follow the steps for security and optimisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Nginx, and why should I install it on CentOS 7?
Nginx is a high-performance web server and reverse proxy that can help improve the performance and reliability of your website. Installing it on CentOS 7 can provide several benefits, including improved scalability, better load balancing, and enhanced security.
2. How do I install Nginx on CentOS 7?
You can install Nginx on CentOS 7 by following these steps:
- Update the system using the command "sudo yum update"
- Install Nginx using the command "sudo yum install nginx"
- Start Nginx and enable it to start automatically using the command "sudo systemctl start nginx" and "sudo systemctl enable nginx"
- Verify that Nginx is running correctly by accessing the server's IP address or domain name in a web browser.
3. How do I configure Nginx on CentOS 7?
To configure Nginx on CentOS 7, you need to edit the Nginx configuration file located at "/etc/nginx/nginx.conf". You can modify settings such as the server name, document root, and SSL certificate. After making changes, you need to restart Nginx using the command "sudo systemctl restart nginx" to apply the new configuration.
4. How do I secure my Nginx installation on CentOS 7?
To secure your Nginx installation on CentOS 7, you can follow these best practices:
- Enable HTTPS using an SSL certificate
- Configure a firewall to restrict access to the server
- Disable unnecessary Nginx modules and features
- Use strong passwords for Nginx users and restrict access to sensitive files
- Regularly update Nginx and other system packages to the latest versions.
