Nginx (pronounced engine-x) serves multiple roles: web server (serving static files), reverse proxy (forwarding requests to backend servers), load balancer (distributing traffic), and SSL termination (handling HTTPS). Key features: event-driven architecture (handles thousands of connections efficiently), configuration-based routing, caching, rate limiting, and gzip compression. Common patterns: serving static files directly, proxying to Node/Python apps, load balancing across multiple backends. Configuration uses a declarative block syntax in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf. Nginx powers many of the world's busiest websites and is essential for production deployments.
🔧 DevOps intermediate
Nginx
High-performance web server and reverse proxy known for its stability, speed, and low resource usage.
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</> Related Terms
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
Distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users from geographically nearby locations.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
Virtualized server instance providing dedicated resources on shared physical hardware.
HTTPS/TLS
Secure communication protocol that encrypts data between browsers and servers using TLS certificates.