Nginx is a popular web server known for its high performance, stability, and low resource consumption. While it is traditionally used in Unix-like environments, it is also possible to run Nginx on Windows. This article will guide you through the process of configuring and running Nginx on a Windows system, including how to modify the default configuration file to suit your needs.

Examples:

1. Downloading and Installing Nginx on Windows:

• First, download the latest stable version of Nginx for Windows from the official Nginx website.


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

2. Running Nginx:

• Open Command Prompt (CMD) with administrative privileges.


• Navigate to the Nginx directory:
  

   cd C:\nginx



• Start Nginx by running the following command:
  

   start nginx



• To stop Nginx, you can use:
  

   nginx -s stop

3. Modifying the Default Configuration File:

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


• Open nginx.conf in a text editor such as Notepad or Notepad++.


• 
  

  Here is an example of a basic configuration:

  
  

   worker_processes  1;
  
  
  
   events {
  
       worker_connections  1024;
  
   }
  
  
  
   http {
  
       include       mime.types;
  
       default_type  application/octet-stream;
  
  
  
       sendfile        on;
  
       keepalive_timeout  65;
  
  
  
       server {
  
           listen       80;
  
           server_name  localhost;
  
  
  
           location / {
  
               root   html;
  
               index  index.html index.htm;
  
           }
  
  
  
           error_page   500 502 503 504  /50x.html;
  
           location = /50x.html {
  
               root   html;
  
           }
  
       }
  
   }

  
  


• Save the changes and restart Nginx to apply the new configuration:
  

   nginx -s reload

4. Testing the Configuration:

• Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost. You should see the Nginx welcome page if everything is configured correctly.