What is Nginx?

Nginx is primarily a free, open-source web server but can also act as a reverse proxy, load balancer, mail proxy, and HTTP cache collector. It stands between the internet and the back-end infrastructure for any website. Any request that the internet, i.e., the user requests, is first sent to the web server. Then the web server looks for the requested resource and where to find it on the server and sends it back as a response. Most high-traffic websites use Nginx as it has a high tolerance for many users due to its event-driven architecture.

Moreover, Nginx is also used as a reverse proxy by distributing the load to multiple back-end servers. It also keeps track of caching and security for better performance. Another use of Nginx is that it stores user and error logs and displays static files like HTML, images, etc.

Although we know what Nginx does, we still haven't covered why it is needed. When we deploy any application, for example, a Python Django-based application, we can use its built-in features to deploy the application. So do we need a web server like Nginx? The reason for this is reliability. Native web servers are not built to cater to many users simultaneously and are prone to crashes.

Moreover, we can spin up multiple instances of our application to cater to more users, which raises another issue. Now users must know that if the primary port is at maximum capacity, they must join the secondary port, and so on. This creates a big hassle for the user as it introduces another step in complexity on their side. As a professional website, we cannot have it crash whenever many users join, nor can we make it a tedious process for the user when trying to join. Here is where web servers like Nginx come in.

The figure above shows how Nginx works. It creates a gateway between the user and the multiple instances of the back-end. It manages user requests and redirects them according to availability, and it does so automatically so the user does not have to go through that tedious process. Furthermore, it creates a cache for processes that are high in demand. This creates an optimized user experience as requests are served faster than a noncached system. The reverse proxy capabilities allow for a safer server environment and prevent malicious attacks. Additionally, load balancing promotes an even distribution of requests to all instances to prevent overloading a specific instance.

Nginx provides an essential service for making large-scale applications possible. It provides multiple recourses that improve the user and host experience while creating an improved network. Now that we know about Nginx, we can learn how to implement it in our servers. We can start by heading to the official Nginx website to explore more.