Nginx is a powerful, open-source web server that is widely used for serving static content, reverse proxying, and load balancing. Although it is traditionally associated with Unix-based systems, it can also be installed and run on Windows. This article will guide you through the process of configuring Nginx on a Windows environment, focusing on the default configuration file and how to manage it effectively.

Examples:

1. Installing Nginx on Windows:

• Download the Nginx Windows package from the official Nginx website.


• Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a directory of your choice, e.g., C:\nginx.


• Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges and navigate to the Nginx directory:
  

   cd C:\nginx



• Start Nginx by running:
  

   nginx.exe

2. Default Configuration File:

• The default configuration file for Nginx is nginx.conf, located in the conf directory within the Nginx installation directory, e.g., C:\nginx\conf\nginx.conf.


• Open nginx.conf in a text editor like Notepad or Notepad++ to view or edit the default settings.

3. Basic Configuration Adjustments:

• To change the default port from 80 to another port, locate the listen directive in the server block and modify it:
  

   server {
  
       listen       8080;
  
       server_name  localhost;
  
       # Other configurations...
  
   }



• To set the root directory for your web content, modify the root directive:
  

   server {
  
       listen       8080;
  
       server_name  localhost;
  
       root         C:/nginx/html;
  
       # Other configurations...
  
   }

4. Running Nginx as a Windows Service:

• To run Nginx as a Windows service, you can use a third-party tool like NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager).


• Download and install NSSM from the official website.


• Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges and install Nginx as a service:
  

   nssm install nginx "C:\nginx\nginx.exe"



• Start the Nginx service:
  

   nssm start nginx

5. Stopping and Restarting Nginx:

• To stop Nginx, use the following command:
  

   nginx.exe -s stop



• To reload the configuration without stopping the server, use:
  

   nginx.exe -s reload