How to Install Nginx on Arch Linux

Nginx is a powerful, open-source web server and reverse proxy server that is widely used for its speed, stability, and ability to scale. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of how to install Nginx on Arch Linux. We will cover the necessary steps to get your Nginx server up and running, including the installation of dependencies, the configuration of Nginx, and how to test your setup.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have an Arch Linux system up and running, with root or sudo access. If you’re looking for other web server options, you can also check out our guides on how to set up an Apache web server on Arch Linux or how to install OpenStack on Oracle Linux.

How to Install Nginx on Arch Linux

Update Your System

First, let’s update your Arch Linux system to ensure that you have the latest packages:

sudo pacman -Syu

Install Nginx on Arch Linux

Now, we will install Nginx using the pacman package manager:

sudo pacman -S nginx

Confirm the installation by pressing Enter when prompted.

Start and Enable Nginx Service

Once Nginx is installed, start the Nginx service and enable it to run at system startup:

sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

Configure Nginx on Arch Linux

Nginx configuration files are located in the /etc/nginx directory. The main configuration file is /etc/nginx/nginx.conf. You can edit this file to set up your server blocks, proxy settings, and more.

For a basic setup, you can create a new server block configuration file. Let’s create a new file called /etc/nginx/sites-available/mywebsite:

sudo vim /etc/nginx/sites-available/mywebsite

Add the following sample configuration, replacing yourdomain.com and /var/www/yourdomain.com/html with your domain name and desired document root:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    root /var/www/yourdomain.com/html;
    index index.html;

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

Save and exit the file.

Now, create a symbolic link to enable the server block:

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

To apply the changes, restart the Nginx service:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Test Nginx

To test your Nginx installation, open your web browser and navigate to your server’s IP address or domain name. You should see the default Nginx welcome page.

You can also check the status of the Nginx service by running:

sudo systemctl status nginx

Additional Resources

For more advanced configurations, you might find these guides helpful:

You can also explore other related topics, such as:

Configure Firewall (Optional)

If you have a firewall enabled on your Arch Linux system, you’ll need to allow traffic on ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) for Nginx to function properly. Assuming you’re using ufw as your firewall, run the following commands to allow incoming traffic:

sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https

If you’re using a different firewall, consult its documentation for the appropriate commands.

Secure Your Nginx Server with Let’s Encrypt (Optional)

Securing your website with HTTPS is essential for the protection of your users’ data and your site’s credibility. Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority that makes it easy to obtain and install SSL/TLS certificates for your website. For a detailed guide on how to set up Let’s Encrypt with Nginx on Arch Linux, follow our tutorial on how to install Let’s Encrypt on Oracle Linux.

Conclusion

You have now successfully installed Nginx on your Arch Linux system and configured a basic server block for your website. You can further customize and enhance your web server by adding features like SSL/TLS, a database server, and other web applications.

Nginx offers a robust and efficient solution for hosting websites, and with its extensive documentation and active community, you can always find help when needed. Good luck with your new Nginx server on Arch Linux!