Master Nginx: From Basics to Advanced Configurations in One Comprehensive Guide

Nginx Overview

Nginx is widely used in large‑scale websites, web applications, and mobile apps due to its excellent performance, high concurrency handling, and low memory consumption.

Why Choose Nginx

For large projects or micro‑service architectures, Nginx is the preferred web server, whereas smaller projects may use IIS, Tomcat, etc.

Contents of the Learning Notes

Web Service Basics

Nginx Fundamentals

Detailed Core Configuration

Advanced Configuration

Rewrite Functions

Reverse Proxy

System Parameter Optimization

LNMP Project – WordPress Site Setup

Nginx Fundamentals

Nginx is an open‑source, high‑performance HTTP server, reverse proxy, mail proxy, and TCP/UDP proxy.

It follows a multi‑process model consisting of a master process and multiple worker processes.

Master Process Functions

Read and validate Nginx configuration files.

Create, bind, and close socket connections.

Manage worker processes according to the configuration.

Accept external commands such as restart, upgrade, and shutdown.

Perform graceful upgrades without service interruption.

Open log files and obtain file descriptors.

Handle graceful upgrade failures with rollback.

Compile and execute Perl scripts.

Worker Process Functions

Accept and process client requests.

Dispatch requests to appropriate modules for handling.

Perform I/O operations to retrieve response data.

Communicate with backend servers and receive processing results.

Cache data, access cache indexes, and query cached content.

Send response results back to the client.

Receive commands from the master process (e.g., restart, upgrade, exit).

Core Configuration Details

Virtual hosts are defined based on IP, port, and domain name using the ngx_http_core_module.

Creating a Mobile Web Site

Instructions for setting up a mobile web site are illustrated with diagrams.

Location Directive Usage

Detailed examples of the location block are provided.

Four‑Layer Access Control

Access control is implemented via the ngx_http_access_module, allowing IP‑based request filtering.

File Existence Check

The try_files directive checks files in order and performs an internal redirect to the last parameter if none are found; the final parameter must exist to avoid a 500 error.

Advanced Configuration

HTTPS encryption is explained, emphasizing the combination of HTTP with SSL/TLS to secure data transmission for high‑security services such as banking and email.

Reverse Proxy

Reverse proxy forwards external client requests to internal web servers and returns the responses, a common deployment pattern.

Logical Call Relationships

Production Deployment Architecture

File Listings