Introduction to Module ngx_http_core_module in Nginx
The ngx_http_core_module is one of the core modules of Nginx used for managing HTTP requests. This module provides us with the capability to customize how Nginx responds to requests. One of the key tools of this module is the location block, which allows us to alter the server's behavior based on incoming URLs.
In fact, when a request is sent to Nginx, this module searches for the most appropriate location block to determine which configurations should apply to the request. Using location, we can specifically assign behaviors for particular URLs, directories, and files. This ability enables us to manage each type of resource or content in a tailored manner.
For instance, suppose you want to serve images from a specific directory and, in return, serve CSS and JavaScript files from another directory. Using location, you can easily perform this task. Also, you can define special configurations like access restrictions or redirects for each location.
Below are some examples of how to use location and we will explore it together to show you how these features can be defined in Nginx configurations. I hope these explanations and examples help you to use location in your projects!
Examples of location configurations
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location /images/ {
alias /var/www/images/;
}
location /api {
proxy_pass http://backend_api;
}
}Explanation of Example
server {
This section defines a new server in Nginx.
listen 80;
This line tells Nginx to listen on port 80 for incoming requests.
server_name example.com;
This line specifies the domain name related to this server.
location /images/ {
This block corresponds to requests that point to the directory of images.
alias /var/www/images/;
This line specifies that requests related to /images/ are actually handled from the directory /var/www/images/.
}
This indicates the end of the location block.
location /api {
Here, it is defined that requests with the prefix /api must follow a specific behavior.
proxy_pass http://backend_api;
This line directs Nginx to forward requests related to /api to a specific backend service.
}
This signifies the end of the location block.
I hope this explanation helps you become more familiar with the concept of location in Nginx and you can apply it in your own projects.