Best practices for configuring Nginx often evolve based on industry trends, security considerations, and performance optimization.
Here are some common best practices derived from industry use cases:
Update Nginx regularly:
Keep Nginx up-to-date with the latest stable releases to benefit from bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements.
Separate configuration files:
Organize your configuration into multiple files using the include directive to improve readability and maintainability. This is especially useful when dealing with complex setups.
include /etc/nginx/conf.d/*.conf;
Use server blocks for virtual hosts:
Utilize server blocks to define configurations for different websites hosted on the same server. This makes it easier to manage multiple domains.
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
...
}
Limit server tokens:
Reduce information disclosure by limiting server tokens. Set the server_tokens directive to minimize the amount of information returned in error pages.
server_tokens off;
Implement security headers:
Enhance security by including headers such as X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Strict-Transport-Security. Adjust them according to your security requirements.
add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN";
add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff";
add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000" always;
Enable content compression:
Improve performance by enabling gzip compression to reduce the size of transmitted data. Adjust compression settings based on your server's resources.
gzip on;
gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript;
Configure Connection Keep-Alive:
Utilize keep-alive connections to allow multiple requests to be sent over a single TCP connection. This reduces latency and improves overall performance.
keepalive_timeout 15s;
Secure SSL/TLS configuration:
If using SSL/TLS, configure it securely. Use strong ciphers, enable Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), and keep SSL protocols up-to-date.
ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_ciphers 'TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256:TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384';
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
ssl_session_timeout 1d;
ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:50m;
Monitor and log:
Implement proper logging and monitoring to quickly identify and respond to issues. Regularly check logs for errors, security events, and performance-related information.
error_log /var/log/nginx/error.log;
access_log /var/log/nginx/access.log;
Protect against DDoS attacks:
Use rate limiting and connection limiting to protect against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Adjust these settings based on your specific needs.
limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=mylimit:10m rate=1r/s;
limit_req zone=mylimit burst=5 nodelay;
These best practices provide a solid foundation for securing and optimizing your Nginx web server. Keep in mind that configurations may vary depending on the specific requirements of your application and infrastructure. Regularly review and update your configuration based on changes in your environment and emerging best practices.