How to Install Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04

Nginx is a high-performance web server and reverse proxy that powers many Magento stores. It is lightweight, efficient, and capable of handling thousands of concurrent connections.

This guide explains how to install and configure Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 as the web server for Magento 2.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you have:

• Ubuntu 24.04 installed
• A user with sudo privileges
• Internet connectivity
• Updated package repository

Step 1 – Update Ubuntu

Always update your server before installing new packages.

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sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2 – Install Nginx

Install Nginx from Ubuntu's official repositories.

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sudo apt install nginx -y

Step 3 – Verify Installation

Check that Nginx has been installed correctly.

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nginx -v

Example output:

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nginx version: nginx/1.24.x

Step 4 – Start Nginx

If Nginx is not already running:

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sudo systemctl start nginx

Verify the status:

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sudo systemctl status nginx

You should see:

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Active: active (running)

Step 5 – Enable Nginx on Boot

Automatically start Nginx whenever the server reboots.

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sudo systemctl enable nginx

Verify:

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systemctl is-enabled nginx

Expected output:

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enabled

Step 6 – Configure the Firewall

If UFW is installed, allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic.

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sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

Reload firewall rules.

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sudo ufw reload

Verify:

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sudo ufw status

Step 7 – Test the Web Server

Open your browser and visit:

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http://YOUR_SERVER_IP

If everything is working, you'll see the default Nginx welcome page.

Useful Commands

Restart Nginx:

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sudo systemctl restart nginx

Reload configuration:

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sudo systemctl reload nginx

Stop Nginx:

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sudo systemctl stop nginx

Disable auto start:

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sudo systemctl disable nginx

Troubleshooting

Port 80 Already in Use

Check which process is using the port.

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sudo lsof -i :80

Test Configuration

Validate the configuration before restarting.

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sudo nginx -t

View Error Logs

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sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log

Conclusion

Nginx is now installed and ready to host your Magento application. In the next tutorial, we'll install PHP 8.4 and all required extensions for Magento 2.