Installing Nginx on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Nginx, pronounced “engine-x,” is a powerful and popular web server and reverse proxy. It is known for its efficiency, stability, and scalability, making it a preferred choice for hosting websites and serving web content. Installing Nginx on Ubuntu is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few simple steps.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, you’ll need the following:

• A server or virtual machine running Ubuntu Linux.
• SSH access to your Ubuntu server with sudo privileges.

Step 1: Update Package Index

First, ensure that your server’s package index is up to date. This ensures that you will install the latest version of Nginx available in the Ubuntu repositories.

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Nginx

Once the package index is updated, you can install Nginx using the following command:

sudo apt install nginx

You will be prompted to confirm the installation. Type ‘Y’ and press Enter to proceed.

Step 3: Start Nginx and Enable Auto-Start on Boot

After installation, Nginx should start automatically. If it doesn’t, you can start it manually using the following command:

sudo systemctl start nginx

To ensure that Nginx starts automatically when the server boots up, enable it with the following command:

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 4: Verify Nginx Installation

To verify that Nginx has been installed and is running correctly, you can use the systemctl command to check its status:

sudo systemctl status nginx

If Nginx is running properly, you should see output indicating that the service is active (running).

Step 5: Configure Firewall (if applicable)

If you have a firewall enabled on your Ubuntu server, you’ll need to allow traffic on the default HTTP (80) and HTTPS (443) ports to allow web traffic to reach Nginx.

If you are using UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall), you can allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic with the following commands:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

This command will allow traffic on both port 80 (HTTP) and port 443 (HTTPS).

Step 6: Access the Default Nginx Page

Once Nginx is installed and configured, you can access the default Nginx welcome page by entering your server’s IP address or domain name into a web browser.

If you see the default Nginx welcome page, congratulations! You have successfully installed Nginx on your Ubuntu server.

Conclusion

Installing Nginx on Ubuntu is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few simple steps. By following the instructions outlined in this guide, you can quickly set up Nginx to serve your web content with efficiency and reliability. Nginx’s flexibility and performance make it an excellent choice for hosting websites and handling web traffic on Ubuntu servers.