How to Completely Uninstall Nginx on Linux: Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

When configuring Nginx you may encounter various error codes; the simplest solution is to uninstall and reinstall the software. This guide shows how to completely remove Nginx from a Linux system.

Detailed Steps to Uninstall Nginx

1. Stop the Nginx Service

Execute the following command to stop Nginx: /usr/local/nginx/sbin/nginx -s stop If you are unsure of the installation path, you can find the Nginx process ID with ps and terminate it using kill.

2. Locate All Nginx Files

Search the entire filesystem for files and directories containing "nginx":

find / -name nginx

3. Delete Nginx-Related Files

Remove the directories and files identified in the previous step. Example commands:

# rm -rf /usr/local/sbin/nginx</code>
<code># rm -rf /usr/local/nginx</code>
<code># rm -rf /usr/src/nginx-1.11.1</code>
<code># rm -rf /var/spool/mail/nginx

Note: Global searches may return many matches; you can use wildcards (e.g., *) to simplify deletion of similarly prefixed files.

4. Remove Auto‑Start Settings (If Applicable)

If Nginx was configured to start on boot, disable it and delete the init script:

chkconfig nginx off</code>
<code>rm -rf /etc/init.d/nginx

Reinstalling Nginx

After all Nginx files and configurations have been removed, you can proceed with a fresh installation of Nginx.