# How to setup Nginx

To configure Nginx to proxy requests to your server running on port 3000 and attach the domain name `api.example.com`, follow these steps:

### Step 1:

### **Installation**

#### **On Ubuntu/Debian**

1. **Update your package lists:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo apt update
    ```
    
2. **Install Nginx:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo apt install nginx
    ```
    
3. **Start and enable Nginx:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo systemctl start nginx
    sudo systemctl enable nginx
    ```
    

#### **On CentOS/RHEL**

1. **Install the EPEL repository (if not already installed):**
    
    ```bash
    sudo yum install epel-release
    ```
    
2. **Install Nginx:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo yum install nginx
    ```
    
3. **Start and enable Nginx:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo systemctl start nginx
    sudo systemctl enable nginx
    ```
    

### **Step 2: Configure DNS**

Ensure that the DNS A record for `api.example.com` points to the IP address of your server. This configuration is typically done through your domain registrar's control panel.

### **Step 3: Create an Nginx Configuration for Your Domain**

1. **Create a configuration file for your domain:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo vim /etc/nginx/conf.d/api.example.com.conf
    ```
    
2. **Add the following configuration to the file:**
    
    ```nginx
    server {
        listen 80;
        server_name api.example.com;
    
        location / {
            proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
            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;
        }
    }
    ```
    
    This configuration tells Nginx to listen for requests on port 80 for `api.example.com` and proxy those requests to your server running on [`http://localhost:3000`](http://localhost:3000).
    

### **Step 4: Test and Reload Nginx Configuration**

1. **Test the Nginx configuration for syntax errors:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo nginx -t
    ```
    
2. **If the test is successful, reload Nginx to apply the new configuration:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo systemctl reload nginx
    ```
    

### **Step 5: Secure Your Domain with HTTPS (Optional but Recommended)**

To secure your domain with HTTPS, you can use Let's Encrypt to obtain a free SSL certificate.

1. **Install Certbot and the Nginx plugin:**
    
    For Ubuntu/Debian:
    
    ```bash
    sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
    ```
    
    For CentOS/RHEL:
    
    ```bash
    sudo yum install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
    ```
    
2. **Obtain and install the SSL certificate:**
    
    ```bash
    sudo certbot --nginx -d api.example.com
    ```
    
    Follow the prompts to complete the installation. Certbot will automatically configure Nginx to use the SSL certificate.
    
3. **Verify that your SSL certificate is working by visiting**[`https://api.example.`](https://api.school.krittim.in)`com`**in your web browser.**
    

### **Example Full Nginx Configuration with HTTPS**

If Certbot successfully installed your SSL certificate, your Nginx configuration file (`/etc/nginx/conf.d/api.example.com.conf`) will look similar to this:

```nginx
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name api.example.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name api.example.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/api.example.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/api.example.com/privkey.pem;

    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        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;
    }
}
```

This configuration includes both HTTP to HTTPS redirection and the SSL setup for secure connections.

### **Conclusion**

By following these steps, you can configure Nginx to serve your application running on port 3000 and attach the domain name `api.example.com`. Additionally, securing your domain with HTTPS ensures encrypted communication between clients and your server.