DevOps

Creating a Virtual Host in NGINX: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hosting multiple websites efficiently on a single server is a common requirement, and NGINX, a powerful and high-performance web server, offers a solution through its virtual host feature. Also known as server blocks, virtual hosts allow you to host multiple domains on a single server instance. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up a virtual host using NGINX on a Linux system.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that you have:

  • A server running Linux.
  • Sudo or root privileges on the server.
  • A domain name pointed to your server's public IP address.

Step 1: Install NGINX

If NGINX is not already installed on your server, you can install it using the package manager of your Linux distribution. For Ubuntu or Debian-based systems, use the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

For CentOS or RHEL-based systems, use:

sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum install nginx

Step 2: Start and Enable NGINX

Ensure NGINX is running and set to start on boot using the systemctl commands:

sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 3: Create a Directory for Your Website

Create a directory structure for your website files. This is where you will store your website's content. Use your actual domain name in place of 'your_domain':

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/your_domain/html

Assign ownership and set the correct permissions:

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/your_domain/html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www

Step 4: Create a Sample HTML Page (Optional)

To test your setup, create a sample index.html file in the directory you just created:

echo "<html>
  <head>
    <title>Welcome to Your_domain!</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Success! The Your_domain virtual host is working!</h1>
  </body>
</html>

Step 5: Create a New Configuration File for Your Website

Create a new configuration file in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory. This file will contain the server block settings for your domain:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_domain

Insert the following configuration, ensuring you replace 'your_domain' with your actual domain name and adjust the document root if necessary:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain www.your_domain;

    root /var/www/your_domain/html;
    index index.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Step 6: Enable the File by Creating a Link

Activate the server block by linking the file you just created to the sites-enabled directory:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_domain /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Step 7: Test NGINX Configuration

It's crucial to test your NGINX configuration for any syntax errors before restarting the service:

sudo nginx -t

Step 8: Restart NGINX

If the configuration test is successful, restart NGINX to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 9: Adjust the Firewall (If Necessary)

If you're using a firewall, ensure that HTTP and HTTPS traffic are permitted. For UFW users:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx HTTP'

For firewalld users:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=https
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Step 10: Access Your Website

Open a web browser and navigate to your domain:

http://your_domain

You should see the sample HTML page or the content you've uploaded to your website's directory.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully set up a virtual host in NGINX. This configuration allows you to host multiple websites on a single server, optimizing resources and management. Remember to replace your_domain with your actual domain name and ensure that your domain's DNS settings are pointing to your server's IP address. By following these steps, you can expand your server's capabilities and host various websites efficiently and effectively.