Complete Guide: Installing Nginx on Your BrainHost VPS

I. 🚀 Quick Installation Methods

These methods use your operating system's package manager, offering the fastest and easiest way to deploy Nginx on your BrainHost VPS.

1. Debian/Ubuntu (Using APT)

Bash

# Update the local package index
sudo apt update

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install nginx -y

# Verify the service status
sudo systemctl status nginx

2. RHEL/CentOS/Fedora (Using YUM/DNF)

Bash

# Install the EPEL repository (often necessary for Nginx)
sudo yum install epel-release -y  # or sudo dnf install epel-release -y

# Install Nginx
sudo yum install nginx -y         # or sudo dnf install nginx -y

# Start and enable Nginx to run on boot
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

II. ⚙️ Installing Nginx from Source (Compile Installation)

Compiling Nginx from source is the ideal choice when you need to include specific third-party modules, define custom paths, or use the very latest version, ensuring your BrainHost VPS is running a perfectly tailored web server.

Step 1: Install Dependencies

You need development tools and libraries for features like SSL and compression.

Step 2: Download and Extract Source Code

Replace 1.27.0 with the latest stable version available.

Bash

cd /usr/local/src
# Download the source code (check the official Nginx site for the latest version)
sudo wget http://nginx.org/download/nginx-1.27.0.tar.gz
# Extract the archive
sudo tar -zxvf nginx-1.27.0.tar.gz
# Change directory into the source folder
cd nginx-1.27.0

Step 3: Configure with Optional Parameters

Use the ./configure script to define installation paths and enable desired modules. This example includes common and useful options for a robust installation on your BrainHost VPS:

Bash

sudo ./configure \
    --prefix=/usr/local/nginx \
    --sbin-path=/usr/sbin/nginx \
    --conf-path=/etc/nginx/nginx.conf \
    --error-log-path=/var/log/nginx/error.log \
    --http-log-path=/var/log/nginx/access.log \
    --pid-path=/var/run/nginx.pid \
    --user=nginx \
    --group=nginx \
    --with-http_ssl_module \
    --with-http_v2_module \
    --with-http_realip_module \
    --with-http_stub_status_module \
    --with-pcre \
    --with-zlib \
    --with-cc-opt='-O2'

Step 4: Compile and Install

Bash

sudo make
sudo make install

Step 5: Post-Compilation Setup

Since you compiled Nginx, you need to manually set up the user, group, and a system service.

1. Create the Nginx User and Group:
   Bash

   sudo groupadd nginx
   sudo useradd -r -g nginx -s /bin/false -M nginx
   

2. Create the systemd Service File:
   This allows you to manage Nginx using systemctl start/stop/status nginx.
   Bash

   # Use your preferred editor (e.g., nano or vi) to create the file
   sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nginx.service
   

   
   Paste the following content into the file:
   Ini, TOML

   [Unit]
   Description=The Nginx HTTP and reverse proxy server
   After=syslog.target network.target remote-fs.target nss-lookup.target
   
   [Service]
   Type=forking
   PIDFile=/var/run/nginx.pid
   ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/nginx -t
   ExecStart=/usr/sbin/nginx
   ExecReload=/usr/sbin/nginx -s reload
   ExecStop=/bin/kill -s QUIT $MAINPID
   PrivateTmp=true
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target
   

3. Reload systemd and Start Nginx:
   Bash

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl start nginx
   sudo systemctl enable nginx
   sudo systemctl status nginx
   

III. ✅ Final Verification

After installation, open your web browser and navigate to your BrainHost VPS's IP address or domain name:

• Example: http://[Your_VPS_IP_Address]

A successful installation will display the Nginx default welcome page.

Would you like me to help you draft the next section of your guide, perhaps focusing on basic Nginx configuration or setting up your first virtual host?