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.