How to Install and Configure Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04

Nginx is a high-performance web server and reverse proxy server that powers many of the world's busiest websites. It is known for its stability, rich feature set, simple configuration, and low resource consumption. This guide covers installing and configuring Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Ubuntu 16.04 installed on your machine

• A non-root user with sudo privileges

• Internet connection for package installation

Installing Nginx

Nginx is available in Ubuntu's default repository, making installation straightforward using the apt package manager.

Update Package Repository

First, update your system's package index to ensure you get the latest available packages:

sudo apt-get update

Install Nginx Package

Install Nginx using the following command:

sudo apt-get install nginx

The system will download and install Nginx along with its dependencies. When prompted, press Y and then Enter to confirm the installation.

Configuring the Firewall

Ubuntu 16.04 comes with UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) which needs to be configured to allow HTTP traffic to reach Nginx.

Check Available Applications

View the list of applications that UFW recognizes:

sudo ufw app list

Available applications:
  Nginx Full
  Nginx HTTP
  Nginx HTTPS
  OpenSSH

Allow Nginx HTTP Traffic

Enable HTTP access through the firewall:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx HTTP'

Verify the firewall status:

sudo ufw status

Verifying Nginx Installation

Check if Nginx is running properly using the systemctl command:

systemctl status nginx

? nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Sun 2016-08-14 16:44:20 IST; 8min ago
   Main PID: 4983 (nginx)
    CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service
           ??4983 nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx -g daemon on; master_process on;
           ??4984 nginx: worker process

If the service shows as active (running), Nginx has been installed successfully. You can also test by opening your web browser and navigating to http://your-server-ip. You should see the default Nginx welcome page.

Managing Nginx Service

Nginx can be controlled using standard systemctl commands:

Important Nginx Files and Directories

Content Directory

• /var/www/html − Default document root where web files are served from

Configuration Files

• /etc/nginx − Main Nginx configuration directory

• /etc/nginx/nginx.conf − Primary configuration file for global settings

• /etc/nginx/sites-available/ − Directory for per-site server block configurations

• /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ − Directory for enabled site configurations (symlinks from sites-available)

• /etc/nginx/snippets/ − Reusable configuration fragments

Log Files

• /var/log/nginx/access.log − Records all requests to the web server

• /var/log/nginx/error.log − Records Nginx errors and diagnostic information

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Nginx on Ubuntu 16.04. The web server is now running and ready to serve content. From here, you can customize server blocks, configure SSL, or set up reverse proxy functionality depending on your specific needs.