Overview
Nginx (pronounced engine-x) is a free, open-source, high-performance HTTP web server, reverse proxy, and load balancer. It is known for its high performance and stability and is one of the most popular web servers in use.
FAQs
What's the difference between Apache and Nginx?
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Apache is enabled by default as it supports a larger toolbox of things it can do immediately, making it the most compatible option for the majority of users. However, Nginx is an excellent choice for high-traffic websites as it serves your content faster while using less memory than Apache. View the Web Server Performance Comparison article for further comparison information.
What hosting plans can run Nginx?
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Nginx is available on VPS and Dedicated hosting plans. View this article for steps on switching to Nginx.
What version of Nginx is configured?
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View the Viewing your server's software versions article for steps on how to view the version running on your server.
Is Gzip compression enabled?
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By default, gzip compression is enabled on Nginx servers. You can disable it by following these steps.
- Log into your server via SSH.
- Create your local /nginx/example.com directory.
- Change into this directory.
[server]$ cd ~/nginx/example.com
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Create a file named settings.conf the following content:
gzip off;
- Reload Nginx for the changes to take effect.
View the following page for additional gzip compression options:
Can I use an .htaccess file with Nginx?
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Nginx does not support directory-level configuration files, such as Apache's .htaccess file. This means that if you have previously created a website that uses an .htaccess file, all code within it will no longer function.
Make sure your site is not dependent on your .htaccess file before changing your server to Nginx.
If your website depends on certain .htaccess rules to function, review your website's software documentation for Nginx configuration options.