Summary

In this lesson, we explored core NGINX features for hosting, securing, and optimizing web applications.

• Server Blocks
  Host multiple domains or subdomains on a single NGINX instance by configuring the server_name directive. This enables you to serve different content based on the Host header without extra IP addresses.

• HTTP → HTTPS Redirection
  Enforce secure connections by redirecting all incoming HTTP traffic to HTTPS using the return 301 directive.

  Warning

  Always verify that your SSL certificates are correctly installed to avoid redirect loops.

• Rewrite Rules
  Transform and redirect request URIs with powerful regular expressions via the rewrite directive. Use this to maintain clean URLs, handle legacy paths, or implement SEO-friendly structures.

  Note

  Test complex regex patterns with tools like regex101.com before deploying to production.

• Upstream Blocks
  Define a named pool of backend servers for reverse proxying or load balancing. Upstreams simplify maintenance by centralizing backend definitions.

• Load-Balancing Algorithms
  Distribute client requests across multiple backends to improve availability and performance.

  Algorithm	Description
  Round Robin	Distributes requests evenly in sequence.
  Weighted Round Robin	Assigns more requests to servers with a higher weight value.
  IP Hash	Routes clients to the same backend based on their IP address.

• Reverse Proxy
  Forward client requests to application servers (e.g., React, Flask) running on different ports or hosts. This setup abstracts your backend architecture and improves security.

• Reverse Proxy vs. Load Balancer

  • A reverse proxy can operate with a single backend server for caching, SSL termination, or request routing.
  • A load balancer requires two or more backends to distribute traffic and provide failover.

• Caching
  Configure NGINX’s proxy_cache directives to store upstream responses locally, reducing latency and lowering backend load.

  Note

  Use cache keys that include URI, headers, or query strings to avoid serving stale or incorrect content.

Links and References

• NGINX Server Blocks
• NGINX Rewrite Module
• NGINX Upstream Module
• NGINX Caching Guide