Activating NGINX on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

NGINX is a powerful web server that many developers and system administrators rely on for its performance, stability, and flexibility. If you're looking to start using NGINX on your Ubuntu server, the process is straightforward. We'll walk you through the steps to get NGINX up and running on your Ubuntu system.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure your Ubuntu system is up-to-date and your SSH client is ready to connect. You should also have root or sudo privileges to execute the necessary commands.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Update Your System

Ensure your system is up to date by running the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt update

2. Install NGINX

The next step is to install NGINX by running this command:

sudo apt install nginx

3. Start NGINX (and Set It to Start On Boot)

To start NGINX and ensure it starts automatically upon system reboot, use the following commands:

sudo systemctl start nginxsudo systemctl enable nginx

4. Verify NGINX Status

Check the status of NGINX to ensure it is running correctly:

sudo systemctl status nginx

NGINX should be running if there are no errors in the output. You can also check the NGINX logs for any issues by running:

sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log

5. Test Your NGINX Installation

To test if NGINX is working properly, open a web browser and enter the server's IP address or domain name. You should see the default NGINX welcome page, which looks like this:

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Once NGINX is up and running, you can configure it to meet your specific needs. Below are some basic configurations to get you started:

1. Configure NGINX for a Single Site

Create a new configuration file in the /etc/nginx/sites-available directory:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/mysite

Then, create a symbolic link to the sites-enabled directory:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/mysite /etc/nginx/sites-enabled

Finally, restart NGINX to apply the new configuration:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

2. Configure NGINX with SSL Support

To secure your site with an SSL certificate, you can install Certbot and obtain a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginxsudo certbot --nginx -d  -d 

This command will configure NGINX to use Let's Encrypt and automatically renew the certificate for you.

Conclusion

Activating NGINX on your Ubuntu server is a simple process that can be accomplished in just a few minutes. With the steps outlined above, you can start serving your web content with a high-performance and reliable web server. If you need additional assistance or support, consider working with hosting providers like Advika Web Development and Hosting, who can guide you through more complex setup and configuration tasks.

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