When getting a new Linux server or VM ready for remote access, setting up Nginx (reverse proxy) is one of the first tasks. Here’s a quick guide to get you started securely.

🚀 Quick-Start Guide: Reverse Proxy Setup with Nginx

Overview

This guide walks you through setting up Nginx as a reverse proxy, which forwards incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests to a local service (e.g., FastAPI running on localhost:8000). This is common for securing, scaling, or managing backend services.

1. Install Nginx

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx -y

• Verify installation:

  systemctl status nginx
  

2. Configure the Reverse Proxy

📄 Create a New Config File

Create a configuration file for your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) in /etc/nginx/sites-available/:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com

✏️ Paste This Example Configuration

Replace yourdomain.com and the backend service (localhost:8000) with your actual domain and app:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8000;  # Forward requests to your app
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

🔗 Enable the Config File

Link it to Nginx’s active config directory:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

3. Test & Reload Nginx

• Check for syntax errors:

  sudo nginx -t
  

• Apply changes:

  sudo systemctl reload nginx
  

4. Verify It Works

Make sure your backend service is running (e.g., FastAPI on localhost:8000).

✅ Test with curl or a Browser

Visit http://yourdomain.com in your browser or run:

curl http://yourdomain.com

You should see the output from your backend app!

5. (Optional) Secure with HTTPS Using Let’s Encrypt

🔐 Install Certbot & Obtain Certificate

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com

• Follow the prompts (agree to terms, select email).
• Nginx will be automatically configured for HTTPS.

✅ Verify HTTPS Works

Visit https://yourdomain.com and ensure you see a secure connection (lock icon).

6. Common Checks & Fixes

• 🔧 If Nginx fails:

  sudo systemctl status nginx
  sudo tail -n 20 /var/log/nginx/error.log
  

• 🔄 Ensure your backend app is listening on the correct port (e.g., localhost:8000).

• 🔓 Open firewall ports if needed:

  sudo ufw allow 'Nginx'
  

7. Done!

You now have a working reverse proxy with Nginx, ready to serve your app securely over HTTP or HTTPS.

💡 Next steps: Set up automatic SSL renewal (sudo certbot renew --dry-run) or explore advanced config options like rate limiting or caching.