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Nginx and Apache Setup: Virtual Host Configuration

Install and configure Nginx and Apache web servers, compare their strengths, set up virtual hosts, configure SSL/TLS, and manage web services on Linux.

Read time: 15 min Server Management
nginxapacheweb servervirtual hostssllinuxhttphttps
Author
REXE Teknoloji Network & Security Team
Editor
REXE Teknoloji Technical Editorial
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Last updated

Nginx and Apache Setup: Virtual Host Configuration

Nginx and Apache are the two most widely used web servers in the world. Both can serve web applications, static files, and act as reverse proxies on Linux servers. This guide covers installation, basic configuration, and virtual host setup for both.

Nginx vs Apache Comparison

FeatureNginxApache
ArchitectureAsync, event-drivenProcess/thread-based
Static filesVery fastSlower
Dynamic contentRequires reverse proxyBuilt-in modules
Memory usageLowHigher
ConfigurationSimpler.htaccess support
Best forHigh-traffic sitesPHP applications

Choose Nginx for high-traffic static content or reverse proxy; choose Apache for PHP-based applications (WordPress, Laravel). They can also be used together: Nginx as a front-end reverse proxy, Apache as the back-end application server.

Installing Nginx

Debian/Ubuntu

hljs bash
# Update package list
sudo apt update

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install nginx -y

# Start and enable the service
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

# Check status
sudo systemctl status nginx

RHEL/CentOS/AlmaLinux

hljs bash
# Add EPEL repository
sudo dnf install epel-release -y

# Install Nginx
sudo dnf install nginx -y

# Start and enable the service
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

Basic Nginx Commands

hljs bash
# Test configuration
sudo nginx -t

# Reload configuration (no downtime)
sudo systemctl reload nginx

# Restart service
sudo systemctl restart nginx

# Show Nginx version
nginx -v

Nginx Virtual Host Configuration

In Nginx, create a separate configuration file under /etc/nginx/sites-available/ for each site.

Basic Virtual Host

hljs bash
# Create configuration file
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com
hljs nginx
server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    root /var/www/example.com/html;
    index index.html index.htm index.php;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }

    # For PHP-FPM
    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
    }

    # Block access to hidden files
    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }

    # Log files
    access_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/example.com.error.log;
}
hljs bash
# Enable the site
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Create web directory
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com/html
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/example.com

# Test and reload
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl reload nginx

Nginx Reverse Proxy Configuration

hljs nginx
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name app.example.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Installing Apache

Debian/Ubuntu

hljs bash
# Install Apache
sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 -y

# Start and enable the service
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

# Check status
sudo systemctl status apache2

RHEL/CentOS/AlmaLinux

hljs bash
# Install Apache (httpd)
sudo dnf install httpd -y

# Start and enable the service
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd

Basic Apache Commands

hljs bash
# Test configuration
sudo apachectl configtest

# Reload configuration
sudo systemctl reload apache2

# Enable modules
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo a2enmod ssl

# Enable/disable sites
sudo a2ensite example.com
sudo a2dissite 000-default

Apache Virtual Host Configuration

hljs bash
# Create configuration file
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.conf
hljs apache
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName example.com
    ServerAlias www.example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com/html

    <Directory /var/www/example.com/html>
        Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example.com-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
hljs bash
# Create web directory
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com/html
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/example.com

# Enable the site
sudo a2ensite example.com.conf

# Test and reload
sudo apachectl configtest && sudo systemctl reload apache2

SSL/TLS Configuration (Let's Encrypt)

Use Certbot for a free SSL certificate:

hljs bash
# Install Certbot
sudo apt install certbot -y

# For Nginx
sudo apt install python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com -d www.example.com

# For Apache
sudo apt install python3-certbot-apache -y
sudo certbot --apache -d example.com -d www.example.com

# Test automatic renewal
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Manual SSL Configuration (Nginx)

hljs nginx
server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/privkey.pem;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;

    root /var/www/example.com/html;
    index index.html;
}

# Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

Firewall Settings

hljs bash
# Allow HTTP and HTTPS with ufw
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
# or
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

# For Apache
sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

On REXE servers, also remember to open HTTP (80) and HTTPS (443) ports from the Path Panel firewall.

Conclusion

Nginx and Apache are powerful web servers for different use cases. Nginx is ideal for high-performance static content and reverse proxy, while Apache is preferred for PHP applications and .htaccess-based configurations. With virtual host configuration on either server, multiple domains can be hosted on the same server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use Nginx or Apache?

Nginx offers better performance for high-traffic sites, static content, or reverse proxy. Apache is easier to configure for PHP applications like WordPress and Laravel (with .htaccess support). Using both together is also possible: Nginx in front, Apache in the back.

How do I host multiple domains on the same server?

This is done with virtual host configuration. In Nginx, create a separate file under /etc/nginx/sites-available/ for each domain and add a symlink to sites-enabled. In Apache, create a .conf file under /etc/apache2/sites-available/ and enable it with a2ensite.

How do I install an SSL certificate?

You can get a free SSL certificate with Let's Encrypt. Install Certbot: 'sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y'. Then run 'sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com' to automatically install and configure the certificate. Certificates auto-renew every 90 days.

There is a Nginx configuration error. How do I find it?

The 'sudo nginx -t' command tests configuration files and shows errors. Read the error message carefully; it usually specifies the file name and line number. You can also check service logs with 'sudo journalctl -u nginx'.

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