NGINX

What is NGINX and what is it used for?

NGINX (pronounced as "Engine-X") is an open source web server software that is used to provide and manage web services.

It can serve as a web server as well as a reverse proxy, load balancer and HTTP cache. NGINX was developed to offer high performance and scalability and is particularly suitable for the efficient handling of many simultaneous connections.

How does NGINX work as a web server and reverse proxy?

NGINX processes requests for static content such as HTML, CSS and images. As a reverse proxy, it forwards requests from clients to other servers, which optimizes load balancing and access to backend resources. NGINX uses an asynchronous, event-driven architecture that enables high performance and efficiency.

What are the main features of NGINX?

• Load Balancing: Distribution of incoming requests to multiple servers to balance the load and increase reliability.
• Reverse proxy: Requests from clients are forwarded to one or more backend servers.
• HTTP cache: Caching of content to shorten loading times and reduce server load.
• SSL/TLS support: Provision of secure connections by encrypting data traffic.
• URL redirection: Management of URL redirections and rewrites.

What advantages does NGINX offer?

• High performance: Particularly effective when providing static content and handling large volumes of requests.
• Scalability: Efficient handling of many simultaneous connections thanks to the event-driven architecture.
• Flexibility: Can be used as a web server, reverse proxy and load balancer in a single solution.
• Low system resource utilization: Requires less memory and CPU than other web servers with comparable performance.

What challenges can arise when using NGINX?

• Configuration complexity: Configuring NGINX can be complex and challenging for beginners, especially when implementing advanced features.
• Lack of support for dynamic content: NGINX itself does not support server-side scripting languages such as PHP directly; instead, it is often used in combination with another web server such as Apache or an application server.
• Updates and maintenance: Regular updates and maintenance are required to ensure security and performance.