Comprehensive Nginx Setup Guide: From Installation to SSL Configuration

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Introduction


Nginx is a powerful, high-performance web server that can also function as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and HTTP cache. In this guide, we'll walk through a step-by-step process of installing Nginx, configuring your domain, and setting up SSL to secure your web application.

Prerequisites


Before we begin, ensure you have:

• A Linux server (Ubuntu/Debian recommended)
• Root or sudo access
• Basic terminal knowledge
• A registered domain name

Step 1: Nginx Installation

For Ubuntu/Debian:


# Update package lists
sudo apt update

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install nginx

# Start Nginx service
sudo systemctl start nginx

# Enable Nginx to start on boot
sudo systemctl enable nginx

# Check Nginx status
sudo systemctl status nginx
For CentOS/RHEL:


# Install Nginx
sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum install nginx

# Start Nginx service
sudo systemctl start nginx

# Enable Nginx to start on boot
sudo systemctl enable nginx

# Check Nginx status
sudo systemctl status nginx
Step 2: Firewall Configuration


Open HTTP and HTTPS ports to allow web traffic:

For UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall):


# Allow HTTP and HTTPS
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
For FirewallD:


# Open HTTP and HTTPS ports
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload
Step 3: Domain Configuration

Create a Server Block


Create a new server block configuration for your domain:


# Create directory for your domain
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/yourdomain.com/html

# Set proper permissions
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/yourdomain.com/html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/yourdomain.com

Create Nginx configuration file:


sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com

Add the following configuration:


server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;

server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
root /var/www/yourdomain.com/html;
index index.html index.htm;

location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}
}

Create a symlink to enable the site:


# Create symlink
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Test Nginx configuration
sudo nginx -t

# Restart Nginx
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Step 4: SSL Setup with Certbot

Install Certbot


# For Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# For CentOS
sudo yum install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
Obtain SSL Certificate


# Obtain and install certificate
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d

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During installation, Certbot will:

• Validate domain ownership
• Generate SSL certificates
• Update Nginx configuration automatically
• Set up automatic certificate renewal

Verify Auto-Renewal


# Test renewal process
sudo certbot renew --dry-run
Step 5: Additional Security Configurations


Update your Nginx configuration for enhanced security:


server {
listen 443 ssl http2;
listen [::]:443 ssl http2;

server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;

# Strong SSL settings
ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
ssl_ciphers EECDH+AESGCM:EDH+AESGCM;
ssl_ecdh_curve secp384r1;
ssl_session_timeout 10m;
ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
ssl_session_tickets off;
ssl_stapling on;
ssl_stapling_verify on;

# Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
if ($scheme != "https") {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
}
Conclusion


Congratulations! You've successfully installed Nginx, configured your domain, and set up SSL encryption. Your web server is now secure, performant, and ready to host your applications.

Additional Tips

• Regularly update Nginx and your system
• Monitor server logs
• Keep SSL certificates up to date
• Consider implementing additional security measures like fail2ban

Troubleshooting

• Check Nginx logs: sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
• Verify configuration: sudo nginx -t
• Restart service: sudo systemctl restart nginx

Happy hosting!

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