Hello and welcome to our comprehensive article on configuring Nginx server blocks on Ubuntu 20.04. In this article, we will be exploring the step-by-step process of setting up server blocks on your Nginx web server, and the benefits of doing so. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of what server blocks are, how they work, and how to configure them on Ubuntu 20.04.
What are Server Blocks?
Server blocks are a popular feature of the Nginx web server that allows you to run multiple websites or applications from a single server. Each server block acts as a virtual host that can serve a different website or web application, even though they are all hosted on the same physical server. This makes it a very efficient way of managing and deploying multiple websites on a single server.
Server blocks are also known as virtual hosts or name-based virtual hosting because they allow you to host multiple sites under a single IP address or domain name.
Benefits of Using Server Blocks
There are several benefits of using server blocks on your Nginx web server, including:
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | Server blocks allow you to host multiple sites on a single server, reducing hardware and maintenance costs. |
| Scalability | With server blocks, you can easily scale your web server as your traffic and business grow. |
| Flexibility | Server blocks allow you to customize the configuration of each site, giving you more control and flexibility. |
Requirements
Before we begin configuring server blocks on our Nginx web server, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met:
- A running Ubuntu 20.04 server with Nginx installed and configured.
- A registered domain name that resolves to the server’s IP address.
- Basic knowledge of Linux commands and the Nginx web server.
If you meet these requirements, you are ready to move on to the next section and start configuring your server blocks.
Step-by-Step Guide to Configuring Nginx Server Blocks on Ubuntu 20.04
Step 1: Creating the Server Block Directory
The first step in setting up server blocks on your Ubuntu 20.04 server is to create a directory where you will store the configuration files for each site.
To do this, open up a terminal window and create a new directory under the main Nginx configuration directory:
sudo mkdir /etc/nginx/sites-available
sudo mkdir /etc/nginx/sites-enabled
This will create two new directories: sites-available, which will store the configuration files for each site, and sites-enabled, which will contain the links to the active configuration files.
Step 2: Creating the Configuration File
Next, we need to create a new server block configuration file for each site we want to host on our Nginx web server.
To create a new server block configuration file, navigate to the sites-available directory and create a new file with a descriptive name, such as example.com:
cd /etc/nginx/sites-available
sudo nano example.com
This will open up a new file in the nano text editor. In this file, we will define the configuration for our server block.
Step 3: Configuring the Server Block
Now that we have created the configuration file, we can start configuring our server block.
The basic structure of a server block configuration file looks like this:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
root /var/www/example.com;
index index.html;
}
Let’s break down each of these sections:
- listen: This tells Nginx to listen on port 80, which is the default port for HTTP traffic.
- server_name: This is the domain name or IP address that this server block will respond to. You can use a wildcard (*) to match all subdomains, such as *.example.com.
- root: This is the root directory for the site, where all the files and folders for the site will be stored.
- index: This is the default file that Nginx will serve when someone visits the site’s root URL (e.g. http://example.com/).
You can add additional configuration settings below this basic structure to customize your server block further. For example, you can add SSL/TLS settings to enable HTTPS traffic, add access control settings to restrict access to certain pages or directories, and much more.
Step 4: Enabling the Server Block
Once you have created and configured your server block, you need to enable it so that Nginx will start serving the site.
To do this, we need to create a symbolic link from the configuration file in the sites-available directory to the sites-enabled directory:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
This will create a symbolic link from the example.com configuration file in the sites-available directory to the sites-enabled directory.
Step 5: Restarting Nginx
Finally, we need to restart the Nginx web server to apply the changes we have made to the server blocks.
sudo systemctl restart nginx
This will restart the Nginx web server, and our new server block will be active and ready to serve traffic.
FAQs
What is Nginx?
Nginx is a popular open-source web server that is known for its speed, scalability, and ease of configuration. It is often used as a reverse proxy server, load balancer, and HTTP cache, and is used by some of the world’s largest websites.
What is Ubuntu 20.04?
Ubuntu 20.04 is the latest long-term support (LTS) version of the popular Ubuntu Linux operating system. It was released in April 2020 and is supported until April 2025.
What is a Server Block?
A server block, also known as a virtual host or name-based virtual hosting, is a feature of the Nginx web server that allows you to run multiple websites or applications from a single server. Each server block acts as a virtual host that can serve a different website or web application, even though they are all hosted on the same physical server.
What are the Benefits of Using Server Blocks?
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | Server blocks allow you to host multiple sites on a single server, reducing hardware and maintenance costs. |
| Scalability | With server blocks, you can easily scale your web server as your traffic and business grow. |
| Flexibility | Server blocks allow you to customize the configuration of each site, giving you more control and flexibility. |
What are the Requirements for Configuring Server Blocks on Nginx?
To configure server blocks on Nginx, you will need:
- A running Ubuntu 20.04 server with Nginx installed and configured.
- A registered domain name that resolves to the server’s IP address.
- Basic knowledge of Linux commands and the Nginx web server.
How Do You Create a Server Block Configuration File?
You can create a new server block configuration file by navigating to the sites-available directory (/etc/nginx/sites-available) and creating a new file with a descriptive name, such as example.com:
cd /etc/nginx/sites-available
sudo nano example.com
How Do You Enable a Server Block?
To enable a server block, you need to create a symbolic link from the configuration file in the sites-available directory to the sites-enabled directory:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
How Do You Restart Nginx?
You can restart the Nginx web server by running the following command:
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Conclusion
Configuring server blocks on your Nginx web server is a powerful way to host multiple websites or applications from a single server, with greater efficiency, scalability, and flexibility. By following the step-by-step guide in this article, you can easily set up server blocks on your Ubuntu 20.04 server and reap the benefits of this powerful feature.