How to Install and Configure NGINX on Linux - Beginner's Guide

Are you new to installing and configuring NGINX on Linux? A beginner, to be precise? Welcome! Today, we embark on a journey to demystify the processes involved, ensuring you grasp every bit of the installation and configuration process. So, put on your learning hats, and let's dive right in!

Firstly, understanding what NGINX and Linux are, is vital. NGINX is a high-performance, high-concurrency web server that is designed to serve thousands of simultaneous connections with minimal memory footprint. Meanwhile, Linux is a free, open-source operating system with several distributions - Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, among others.

Why would you want to install and configure NGINX on Linux? Well, NGINX offers a robust, scalable solution for serving your web content, and installing it on a Linux system leverages the stability and flexibility that Linux systems provide.

For this guide, we will focus on Ubuntu, a widely popular Linux distribution, although the steps are not significantly different for other Linux distributions.

Step 1: Update your System

Start by updating the system's package list using the following command in the Linux terminal.

sudo apt-get update

Step 2: Install NGINX

Once the system is updated, you can install NGINX by issuing the following command:

sudo apt-get install nginx

Step 3: Start NGINX

Upon completion of the installation, you can start the NGINX service using the command below:

sudo systemctl start nginx

Step 4: Enable NGINX

To ensure the service starts automatically upon reboot, use the 'enable' command as follows:

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 5: Configure NGINX

Configuring NGINX involves editing the configuration files. You can open the main configuration file using the command:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

This command opens the file in 'nano', a text editor in the terminal. Therein, you can make your configuration changes. Remember to save the file by pressing 'ctrl+X', then 'Y', and finally 'Enter'.

Step 6: Test the Configuration

Once the changes are saved, you can test the configuration with the following command:

sudo nginx -t

If the configuration test runs successfully, you'll see a success message.

Step 7: Reload or Restart NGINX

After a successful test, it's important to either reload or restart the NGINX service. Here's how to do both:

For reload:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

For restart:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

And there you have it! By following these steps, even beginners can install and configure NGINX on a Linux machine without hassle. However, it's critical to note that much of NGINX configuration involves setting server blocks for each site you host. Having understood the basics, you can now delve deeper into NGINX's more advanced features.

Conclusion

This guide has provided an easy-to-follow walkthrough on how to install and configure NGINX on Linux. With NGINX's demand continually soaring, having hands-on knowledge of installing and configuring it is of great value. Now that you're equipped with foundational knowledge, you're set to take on more complex NGINIX tasks.

Remember, practicing and exploring other modules makes you more adept. Good luck!