Module 7: Nginx Web Project

Welcome to the capstone project! In this module, you'll apply everything you've learned to set up a real web server using Nginx. This hands-on project will demonstrate your Linux skills and prepare you for web development tasks.

Real-World Skills: Setting up a web server is a fundamental skill for web developers. This project gives you practical experience that you'll use throughout your career.

What You'll Learn in This Module

Installing and configuring Nginx web server
Creating and managing website files
Understanding web server directory structure
Starting, stopping, and managing services
Troubleshooting common web server issues

Lesson 7.1

Nginx Installation

Lesson 7.2

Website Configuration

Lesson 7.3

Creating Your Website

Lesson 7.4

Project Exercises

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Install Nginx web server using package management
Create a basic 3-page website
Configure Nginx to serve your website
Start, stop, and restart web services
Test your website locally
Troubleshoot common web server issues

Why This Project Matters

This capstone project is important because:

Integration: Combines skills from all previous modules
Practical: Real-world web development scenario
Confidence: Demonstrates your Linux competency
Foundation: Prepares you for web development work

Project Overview

You'll create a simple 3-page website and serve it using Nginx:

Website Structure

my-website/ ├── index.html # Home page ├── about.html # About page ├── contact.html # Contact page ├── css/ │ └── style.css # Styles └── images/ └── logo.png # Images

Skills You'll Use

Filesystem Navigation: Create and organize website files
File Permissions: Set correct permissions for web content
Command Line: Use terminal commands for setup
Package Management: Install Nginx
Service Management: Start and stop web server

What is Nginx?

Nginx (pronounced "engine-x") is a high-performance web server:

Web Server: Serves web pages to browsers
Reverse Proxy: Distributes requests to other servers
Load Balancer: Spreads traffic across multiple servers
High Performance: Handles many concurrent connections
Lightweight: Uses fewer resources than alternatives

Project Workflow

Here's the step-by-step process you'll follow:

Install Nginx: Use APT to install the web server
Create Directory: Make a folder for your website
Create Pages: Build HTML pages with content
Add Styles: Create CSS for visual styling

Configure Nginx: Set up the server to serve your site

Start Server: Launch the web service

Test Locally: View your website in your browser

Troubleshoot: Fix any issues that arise

Prerequisites

Before starting this project, you should be comfortable with:

Basic command-line operations (cd, ls, mkdir, etc.)

File permissions and ownership

Installing software with APT

Text editing (using nano or another editor)

Basic HTML (helpful but not required)

Learning Opportunity: Don't worry if you're not an HTML expert. We'll provide simple templates that you can modify and learn from as you go.

Getting Started

Ready to build your first web server? Start with installing Nginx and setting up the basic configuration.

Start with Nginx Installation

Quick Terms to Know

Here are some terms we'll be using throughout this module:

Web Server: Software that serves web pages

Document Root: Directory where website files are stored

Service: Background program that runs continuously

Port: Network endpoint for web traffic (usually 80)

Localhost: Your own computer (127.0.0.1)

System Requirements: Make sure you have sufficient disk space and permissions to install software and create files. You'll need sudo access for some operations.

Success Criteria

After completing this module, you'll have successfully:

Installed and configured a web server

Created a multi-page website

Managed files and permissions

Started and stopped system services

Tested your work in a web browser

Gained confidence in your Linux skills

Congratulations! Completing this project means you've mastered the fundamentals of Linux and are ready for web development challenges.
What's Next? You've mastered local web server setup! In Module 8, you'll learn to deploy your nginx website to remote servers using SSH and file transfer tools.