You’re going to learn one of the secrets for a fast website, about Nginx, if you’ve ever wondered how websites load so fast or how your favorite apps manage thousands of users at once. No matter how much or little experience you have running a website, managing complex apps, or just getting started, knowing NGINX might have a big impact on your online initiatives.
The internet’s busiest websites are powered by NGINX, which is pronounced “engine-x.” It is renowned for its durability, speed, and ease of handling high traffic volumes. In this blog, I’ll walk you through what NGINX is, how it works, where to find its files, and why platforms like Cloudways use it to deliver blazing-fast hosting. I’ll keep the language simple, but I’ll also dive into the technical details that make NGINX such a game-changer.
What Is NGINX?
NGINX is an open source web server which can also operate as an HTTP cache, load balancer, and reverse proxy. It was created to effectively manage 10,000 or more connections at once, an issue known as the “C10k problem.” Today, it’s used by millions of websites for its speed, stability, and low resource usage.
How Does NGINX Work?
NGINX works differently from older web servers. Instead of creating a new process for every request (which can quickly eat up server resources), NGINX uses an event-driven, asynchronous model. This means it can handle thousands of connections all at once, using only a few worker processes. That’s why it’s so fast and lightweight, even under heavy traffic.
NGINX Architecture with Master and Worker Processes
Let’s break down how NGINX runs behind the scenes:
- Master Process: This is the boss. It reads and validates the configuration files, starts and stops worker processes, and handles tasks like reloading settings without shutting down the server.
- Worker Processes: These do the heavy lifting. Each worker handles multiple connections using a highly efficient event loop. This is how NGINX can serve thousands of users at once without slowing down.
NGINX can also run special processes for caching. For example, the cache loader prepares cached files for quick access, and the cache manager handles when to expire or remove old cached data.
NGINX Configurations with File Paths and Structure
NGINX is configured using plain text files. Here’s where you’ll usually find them:
- Main config folder: /etc/nginx/ (on most Linux systems)
- Main config file: /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
- Site configs: /etc/nginx/sites-available/ (individual site settings)
- Enabled sites: /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ (symlinks to active site configs)
If you installed NGINX from source, you might find configs in /usr/local/nginx/conf/ or /usr/local/etc/nginx/.
How to find your config file?
In order to find your config file, run the following command in your terminal:
None nginx -t
It will show you the full path to your nginx.conf file and tell you if your configuration syntax is correct.
Document root
Document root is a place where your website files are located. Here are the common paths based on the OS.
- Debian/Ubuntu: /var/www/html/
- CentOS/RHEL: /usr/share/nginx/html/
You can always check or change this path in your site’s config file.
How to Set Up NGINX?
We’ll walk you through installing NGINX on Linux in this guide. You need to launch your Linux machine and use the following command to do the setup:
sudo apt-get update
Then, execute this command:
sudo install nginx apt-get
Next, turn on your firewall by doing the following:
sudo ufw enable
Run the following to confirm that NGINX is installed:
nginx -v
To determine whether NGINX is running, you may use the following command:
sudo ufw status
The following should appear after executing this command:
: active
Run the following to see if your NGINX server is operating properly:
Systemctl status nginx sudo
A success message should appear if everything is operating as it should.
Why Use NGINX? – Nginx Key Features Explained
Here’s why NGINX is so popular:
- Speed: Handles static files (images, CSS, JS) extremely fast.
- Efficiency: Uses minimal memory and CPU, even with thousands of connections.
- Reverse Proxy: Protects backend servers and balances load between them.
- Caching: Stores frequently accessed data for quick delivery.
- Security: Can filter requests, block attacks, and hide backend details.
- Flexibility: Works on almost any OS and can be used for web, mail, and streaming services.
NGINX vs Apache
Apache and NGINX are the two giants of the web server world. Here’s how they compare, especially on Cloudways:
| Feature | Apache | NGINX |
| Connection Handling | Process/thread-based | Event-driven, asynchronous |
| Static Content | Good | Excellent (2.5x faster than Apache) |
| Dynamic Content | Built-in processing | Uses external processors (like PHP-FPM) |
| Resource Usage | Higher | Lower |
| Best For | Dynamic sites, flexibility | High-traffic, static-heavy sites |
So here’s how Cloudways stack combines both:
- NGINX acts as a reverse proxy (serves static content, handles traffic)
- Apache processes dynamic content (like PHP)
- Advanced caching (Object Cache Pro, Varnish, Redis, Memcached)
- Automatic scaling, real-time monitoring, and 99.99% uptime
This hybrid approach means you get the speed of NGINX and the flexibility of Apache, all optimized for your website’s needs. For a detailed comparison, check out our blog on the comparison between NGINX and Apache.
How Cloudways Uses NGINX for its Hosting
Cloudways has built its reputation on performance and reliability. Here’s how NGINX fits into Cloudways platform:
- Reverse Proxy Power: NGINX sits in front, handling all incoming requests, serving static files instantly, and passing dynamic requests to Apache or PHP processors.
- Security: NGINX shields your backend servers from direct internet access, reducing attack risks.
- Custom Server Blocks: Easily set up advanced routing, header forwarding, and proxy rules.
- Caching: Integrated solutions like Object Cache Pro and Varnish mean faster load times and less database stress.
- Scalability: Cloudways automatically scales your server resources based on traffic, so your site won’t go down during spikes.
With Cloudways, you don’t have to be a server expert-just pick your cloud provider, and the platform takes care of the rest.
Common Use Cases for NGINX
You can see the following use cases for NGINX usage & how it can help you in your situation.
- Hosting high-traffic websites and blogs
- Acting as a load balancer for multiple backend servers
- Serving static assets (images, videos, CSS, JS) lightning-fast
- Securing applications by hiding backend details
- Powering APIs and microservices with efficient routing
Conclusion
NGINX is a cutting-edge, high-performance solution that runs some of the most popular websites in the world. It is not just another web server. From tiny blogs to large business systems, its event-driven design, low resource use, and robust functionality make it ideal for all applications.
By selecting a platform such as Cloudways, you can take advantage of the many features of NGINX (and Apache) without having to deal with any of the hassles. Your website will be quick, safe, and prepared for anything thanks to their Stack architecture, integrated caching, and automated scaling, all without you having to worry about the technical specifics.
What is NGINX?
To effectively serve webpages and apps, NGINX is a quick, open-source web server and reverse proxy.
Where can I find the NGINX configuration file?
It’s usually at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf, however the nginx -t tool allows you to make sure about the path.
Why is Apache slower than NGINX?
Because NGINX is event-driven, it requires less memory and CPU power to manage hundreds of connections.
How is NGINX used by Cloudways?
Cloudways uses Apache for dynamic content and NGINX as a reverse proxy for performance and security.
Salwa Mujtaba
Salwa Mujtaba is a Technical Content Writer at Cloudways. With a strong background in Computer Science and prior experience as a team lead in Cloudways Operations, she brings a deep understanding of the Cloudways Platform to her writing. Salwa creates content that simplifies complex concepts, making them accessible and engaging for readers. When she's not writing, you can find her enjoying good music, reading a book, or spending quality time with her family.
