Nginx is a free, open-source web server designed to efficiently host static and dynamic web applications or services. It can serve as a web server, load balancer, reverse proxy, or HTTP cache, allowing seamless integration with other components in a full stack environment or direct application delivery through your server’s IP or domain.
This guide demonstrates how to install and configure Nginx on Ubuntu 25.04, including setting up sample web applications for optimal server performance.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding, ensure you have the following:
- Access to an Ubuntu 25.04 instance as a non-root user with sudo privileges.
- A domain A record pointing to the instance’s public IP address (e.g., app.example.com).
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Install Nginx on Ubuntu 25.04
Nginx is available in Ubuntu’s default APT repositories. Follow the steps below to update the package index and install Nginx on your server.
Update the Package Index
$ sudo apt updateInstall Nginx
$ sudo apt install nginx -yCheck Installed Nginx Version
$ nginx -versionExample output:
nginx version: nginx/1.26.3 (Ubuntu)Manage the Nginx Service
Nginx runs as a systemd service on Ubuntu, allowing you to control and manage its runtime easily. Use the following commands to manage Nginx operations.
Enable Nginx to Start on Boot
$ sudo systemctl enable nginxExample output:
Synchronizing state of nginx.service with SysV service script with /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install enable nginxStart, Stop, and Restart Nginx
Start Nginx:
$ sudo systemctl start nginxStop Nginx:
$ sudo systemctl stop nginxRestart Nginx:
$ sudo systemctl restart nginxCheck Nginx Status
$ sudo systemctl status nginxExample output:
● nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2025-04-23 16:27:12 UTC; 8s ago
Invocation: 83add31885be44869b2e3573230fbdee
Docs: man:nginx(8)
Process: 5578 ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/nginx -t -q -g daemon on; master_process on; (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Process: 5580 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/nginx -g daemon on; master_process on; (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Main PID: 5581 (nginx)
Tasks: 5 (limit: 8761)
Memory: 4.4M (peak: 5M)
CPU: 35ms
CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service
├─5581 "nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx -g daemon on; master_process on;"
├─5582 "nginx: worker process"
├─5583 "nginx: worker process"
├─5584 "nginx: worker process"
└─5585 "nginx: worker process"If the output shows Active: active (running), Nginx is running successfully. If it indicates Active: failed, stop any service using port 80 and restart Nginx.
Create a New Nginx Virtual Host
Virtual hosts define how Nginx serves specific web applications based on domain and directory structure. Follow the steps below to configure one.
Create a Virtual Host Configuration File
$ sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/app.example.com.confAdd the Virtual Host Configuration
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name app.example.com;
root /var/www/app.example.com;
index index.html;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}
}This configuration ensures that Nginx listens for requests sent to app.example.com and serves files from /var/www/app.example.com.
Enable the Virtual Host
Link the configuration to the /etc/nginx/sites-enabled directory to activate it.
$ sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/app.example.com.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/Create the Web Root Directory
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/www/app.example.comCreate an HTML File
$ sudo nano /var/www/app.example.com/index.htmlAdd HTML Content
<html>
<head></head>
<body>
<h1>Greetings from centron</h1>
</body>
</html>When accessed in a browser, this HTML file displays a “Greetings from centron” message.
Test the Configuration
$ sudo nginx -tExample output:
nginx: the configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf syntax is ok
nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successfulRestart Nginx
$ sudo systemctl restart nginxVerify the Virtual Host
Use curl to verify that your domain serves the correct page.
$ curl http://app.example.comExpected output:
<html>
<head></head>
<body>
<h1>Greetings from centron</h1>
</body>
</html>Secure the Nginx Web Server
SSL certificates safeguard communication between a user's browser and the Nginx web server by encrypting data over HTTPS. Since Nginx listens on the unencrypted HTTP port 80 by default, enhancing security involves obtaining a trusted SSL certificate through Let’s Encrypt using Certbot. Follow the steps below to secure your Nginx server with HTTPS support.
Install Certbot
Install the Let’s Encrypt Certbot client using Snap:
$ sudo snap install --classic certbotCheck Certbot Version
Verify that Certbot was installed successfully:
$ certbot --versionExample output:
certbot 4.0.0Allow HTTP Traffic for Domain Verification
Allow incoming HTTP connections on port 80 for Certbot’s ACME domain verification process:
$ sudo ufw allow 80/tcpGenerate an SSL Certificate
Request and install an SSL certificate for your domain. Replace app.example.com with your actual domain name configured in your Nginx virtual host.
$ sudo certbot --nginx -d app.example.com --agree-tosExample output:
Successfully received certificate.
Certificate is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/app.example.com/fullchain.pem
Key is saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/app.example.com/privkey.pem
This certificate expires on 2025-07-22.
These files will be updated when the certificate renews.
Certbot has set up a scheduled task to automatically renew this certificate in the background.
Deploying certificate
Successfully deployed certificate for app.example.com to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/app.example.com.conf
Congratulations! You have successfully enabled HTTPS on https://app.example.comSet Up Firewall Rules
Ubuntu 25.04 comes with the Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) preinstalled and enabled. Use the commands below to configure UFW and allow secure HTTPS traffic to your Nginx web server.
Allow HTTPS Traffic
Enable connections on port 443 to allow secure HTTPS traffic:
$ sudo ufw allow 443/tcpCheck Firewall Status
Verify that the updated firewall rules are active:
$ sudo ufw statusExample output:
Status: active
To Action From
-- ------ ----
22/tcp ALLOW Anywhere
80/tcp ALLOW Anywhere
443/tcp ALLOW Anywhere
22/tcp (v6) ALLOW Anywhere (v6)
80/tcp (v6) ALLOW Anywhere (v6)
443/tcp (v6) ALLOW Anywhere (v6)Conclusion
You have successfully installed Nginx on Ubuntu 25.04 and configured it to securely serve your web applications using trusted Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates. Nginx supports multiple virtual host setups and can be integrated with MySQL, PHP, or other services to deliver dynamic and secure web applications. For further optimization and security settings, refer to the official Nginx documentation.
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