Nginx
{{short description|Open source web server and a reverse proxy server}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox software
| name = NGINX
| logo = Nginx logo.svg
| author = Igor Sysoev
| developer = F5
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2004|10|4}}
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|P348|P548=Q21727724}}
| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|P348|P548=Q21727724|P577}}
| programming language = C
| operating system = BSD variants, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Linux, macOS, Solaris, Microsoft Windows, and other *nix flavors
| genre = Web server, reverse/mail proxy server
| license = Nginx: BSD-2-Clause License
Nginx Plus: Proprietary software{{cite web
| url = https://www.nginx.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/F5-End-User-License-Agreement-DOC-0355-18.pdf
| title = End User License Agreement
| access-date = 29 March 2020}}
| website = {{official URL}}
}}
Nginx (pronounced "engine x" {{IPAc-en|pron|ˌ|ɛ|n|dʒ|ɪ|n|ˈ|ɛ|k|s}} {{respell|EN|jin|EKS|'}}, stylized as NGINX or nginx) is a web server that can also be used as a reverse proxy, load balancer, mail proxy and HTTP cache. The software was created by Russian developer Igor Sysoev and publicly released in 2004. Nginx is free and open-source software, released under the terms of the 2-clause BSD license. A large fraction of web servers use Nginx,{{Cite web |last=Survey |date=2025-03-25 |title=March 2025 Web Server Survey {{!}} Netcraft |url=https://www.netcraft.com/blog/march-2025-web-server-survey/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=www.netcraft.com |language=en-US}} often as a load balancer.
A company of the same name was founded in 2011 to provide support and NGINX Plus paid software. In March 2019, the company was acquired by F5 for $670 million.
Popularity
{{As of|2025|04}}, W3Tech's web server count of all web sites ranked Nginx first with 33.8%. Apache was second at 26.4% and Cloudflare Server third at 23.4%. {{As of|2025|03}}, Netcraft estimated that Nginx served 20.11% of the million busiest websites with Cloudflare a little ahead at 22.99%. Apache at 17.83% and Microsoft Internet Information Services at 4.16% rounded out the top four servers for the busiest websites. Some of Netcraft's other statistics show Nginx ahead of Apache.
A 2018 survey of Docker usage found that Nginx was the most commonly deployed technology in Docker containers. In OpenBSD version 5.2 (November 2012), Nginx became part of the OpenBSD base system, providing an alternative to the system's fork of Apache 1.3, which it was intended to replace, but later in version 5.7 (November 2014) it was removed in favor of OpenBSD's own httpd(8).{{cite web | url = https://www.openbsd.org/faq/upgrade57.html | title = Upgrade Guide: 5.6 to 5.7 | access-date = 2024-02-18}}
Features
Nginx may be configured to serve static web content or to act as a proxy server.
Nginx can be deployed to also serve dynamic content on the network using FastCGI, SCGI handlers for scripts, WSGI application servers or Phusion Passenger modules, and can serve as a software load balancer.
Nginx uses an asynchronous event-driven approach, rather than threads, to handle requests. Nginx's modular event-driven architecture can provide predictable performance under high loads.
= HTTP proxy and Web server features =
- Ability to handle more than 10,000 simultaneous connections with a low memory footprint (~2.5 MB per 10k inactive HTTP keep-alive connections)
- Handling of static files, index files and auto-indexing
- Reverse proxy with caching{{Cite web |url=https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/admin-guide/web-server/reverse-proxy/ |title=NGINX Docs | NGINX Reverse Proxy |website=NGINX Documentation}}
- Load balancing{{Cite web |url=https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/admin-guide/load-balancer/http-load-balancer/ |title=NGINX Docs | HTTP Load Balancing |website=NGINX Documentation}} with in-band health checks
- TLS/SSL with SNI and OCSP stapling support, via OpenSSL
- FastCGI, SCGI, uWSGI support with caching
- gRPC support since March 2018, version 1.13.10.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nginx.com/blog/nginx-1-13-10-grpc/ |title=Introducing gRPC Support with NGINX 1.13.10 |date=17 March 2018 |website=NGINX}}
- Name- and IP address-based virtual servers
- IPv6-compatible
- WebSockets since 1.3.13,{{Cite web |url=https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/websocket.html |title=WebSocket proxying |website=nginx.org}} including acting as a reverse proxy and do load balancing of WebSocket applications.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nginx.com/blog/websocket-nginx/ |title=Using NGINX as a WebSocket Proxy |date=17 May 2014 |website=NGINX}}
- HTTP/1.1 Upgrade (101 Switching Protocols)
- HTTP/2 protocol support
- HTTP/3 protocol support (experimental since 1.25.0){{Cite web |date=23 May 2023 |title=Changes with nginx 1.25.0 |url=https://nginx.org/en/CHANGES |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=nginx news}}
- URL rewriting and redirection
= Mail proxy features =
- TLS/SSL support
- STARTTLS support
- SMTP,{{Cite web |url=https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/admin-guide/mail-proxy/mail-proxy/ |title=NGINX Docs | Configuring NGINX as a Mail Proxy Server |website=NGINX Documentation}} POP3, and IMAP proxy
- Requires authentication using an external HTTP server or by an authentication script
Other features include upgrading executable and configuration without client connections loss, and a module-based architecture with both core and third-party module support.
The paid Plus product includes additional features such as advanced load balancing and access to an expanded suite of metrics for performance monitoring.
Nginx in comparison to Apache
Nginx was written with an explicit goal of outperforming the Apache web server. While in the past Nginx used to outperform Apache, since Apache 2.4 they offer similar performance.{{cite web| url = http://people.apache.org/~jim/presos/ACNA11/Apache_httpd_cloud.pdf| title = Apache httpd 2.4| access-date = 2012-02-08| archive-date = 2012-01-27| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120127033804/http://people.apache.org/~jim/presos/ACNA11/Apache_httpd_cloud.pdf| url-status = live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.slideshare.net/bryan_call/choosing-a-proxy-server-apachecon-2014|title=Picking a Proxy Server|date=14 April 2014|access-date=19 February 2016|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303105755/http://www.slideshare.net/bryan_call/choosing-a-proxy-server-apachecon-2014|url-status=live}} This former performance boost came at a cost of decreased flexibility, such as the ability to override system-wide access settings on a per-file basis (Apache accomplishes this with an .htaccess file, while Nginx has no such feature built in).{{Cite news |url=https://www.sitepoint.com/apache-vs-nginx-performance-optimization-techniques/ |title=Apache vs Nginx Performance: Optimization Techniques — SitePoint |last=Jankov |first=Tonino |date=13 June 2018 |work=SitePoint |access-date=22 October 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/which-web-server-should-you-use-apache-or-nginx/ |title=Which web server should you use — Apache or NGINX? |website=TechRepublic|date=18 August 2023 }}
Formerly, adding third-party modules to Nginx required recompiling the application from source with the modules statically linked. This was partially overcome in version 1.9.11 in February 2016, with the addition of dynamic module loading. However, the modules still must be compiled at the same time as Nginx, and not all modules are compatible with this system; some require the older static linking process.
Nginx Unit
Nginx Unit is an open-source web application server, released in 2017 by NGINX, Inc. to target multi-language microservices-based applications. The initial release supported applications written in Go, PHP, and Python.{{Cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/06/nginx-launches-its-application-platform/ |website=techcrunch.com |title=Nginx goes beyond its server roots and launches its application platform |date=6 September 2017 |access-date=15 April 2020 }} By version 1.11.0, the support was extended to Java, Node.js, Perl, and Ruby applications; other features include dynamic configuration, request routing, and load balancing.{{Cite web |url=https://unit.nginx.org/CHANGES.txt |website=unit.nginx.org |title=CHANGES |access-date=15 April 2020 }}{{Cite web |url=https://news.netcraft.com/archives/2020/03/20/march-2020-web-server-survey.html |website=news.netcraft.com |title=March 2020 Web Server Survey |date=20 March 2020 |access-date=15 April 2020 }}
History
= 2000s =
Igor Sysoev began development of Nginx in 2002. Originally, Nginx was developed to solve the C10k problem, and to fill the needs of multiple websites including the Rambler search engine and portal, for which it was serving 500 million requests per day by September 2008.
= 2010s =
Nginx Inc. was founded in July 2011 by Sysoev and Maxim Konovalov{{Cite web |url=https://www.nginx.com/people/maxim-konovalov/ |title=Maxim Konovalov |website=NGINX |access-date=13 October 2019}} to provide commercial products and support for the software.
In October 2011, Nginx, Inc. raised $3 million from BV Capital, Runa Capital, and MSD Capital, Michael Dell's venture fund.
The company announced commercial support options for companies using Nginx in production. Nginx offered commercial support in February 2012, and paid Nginx Plus subscription in August 2013. Support packages focus on installation, configuration, performance improvement, etc. Support includes proactive notifications about major changes, security patches, updates and patches. Nginx, Inc. also offers consulting services to assist customers in custom configuration or adding additional features.
In October 2013, Nginx, Inc. raised a $10 million series B investment round led by New Enterprise Associates. That round included previous investors, as well as Aaron Levie, CEO and founder of Box.com. In December 2014, Nginx raised a $20 million series B1 round led by New Enterprise Associates, with participation from e.ventures (formerly BV Capital), Runa Capital, Index Ventures and Nginx's own CEO Gus Robertson.
In September 2017, Nginx announced an API management tool, NGINX Controller, which would build off of their API Gateway, NGINX Plus.{{Cite news |url=https://sdtimes.com/application-development/nginx-application-platform-app-development/ |title=NGINX releases its new NGINX Application Platform |date=6 September 2017 |work=SD Times |access-date=7 November 2018}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nginx.com/blog/introducing-nginx-api-management-api-gateways-with-nginx-controller/ |title=Introducing NGINX API Management: Manage NGINX Plus API Gateways with NGINX Controller - NGINX |date=9 October 2018 |work=NGINX |access-date=7 November 2018}} In October 2017, Nginx, Inc. announced general available Nginx Amplify SaaS providing monitoring and analytics capabilities for Nginx.
In June 2018, Nginx, Inc. raised $43 million in Series C Funding in a round led by Goldman Sachs "to Accelerate Application Modernization and Digital Transformation for Enterprises".{{Cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180620005421/en/NGINX-Raises-43-Million-Series-Funding-Accelerate |title=NGINX Raises $43 Million in Series C Funding to Accelerate Application Modernization and Digital Transformation for Enterprises |date=20 June 2018 |access-date=11 October 2018}}
On 11 March 2019, F5 acquired Nginx, Inc. for US$670 million.{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/f5-acquires-nginx-what-to-expect-from-the-deal/ |title=F5 acquires NGINX: What to expect from the deal |last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven J. |publisher=ZDNet |access-date=12 December 2019}}
On 12 December 2019, it was reported that the Moscow offices of Nginx Inc. had been raided by police, and that Sysoev and Konovalov had been detained. The raid was conducted under a search warrant connected to a copyright claim over Nginx by Rambler—which asserts that it owns all rights to the code because it was written while Sysoev was an employee of the company.{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/russian-police-raid-nginx-moscow-office/ |title=Russian police raid NGINX Moscow office |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |publisher=ZDNet |access-date=12 December 2019}} On 16 December 2019, Russian state lender Sberbank, which owns 46.5 percent of Rambler, called an extraordinary meeting of Rambler's board of directors asking Rambler's management team to request Russian law enforcement agencies cease pursuit of the criminal case, and begin talks with Nginx and with F5.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-internet-rambler-nginx/russias-rambler-drops-effort-for-criminal-case-against-nginx-web-server-idUSKBN1YK24N |title=Russia's Rambler drops effort for criminal case against Nginx web server |last=Tsydenova |first=Nadezhda |date=16 December 2019 |work=Reuters |access-date=4 May 2020}}
= 2020s =
On 18 January 2022, it was announced that Igor Sysoev was leaving Nginx and F5.{{cite press release|last=Whiteley|first=Rob|title=Do Svidaniya, Igor, and Thank You for NGINX|url=https://www.nginx.com/blog/do-svidaniya-igor-thank-you-for-nginx/|accessdate=19 January 2022|work=NGINX|date=18 January 2022|quote=we announce today Igor has chosen to step back from NGINX and F5 in order to spend more time with his friends and family and to pursue personal projects|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119003123/https://www.nginx.com/blog/do-svidaniya-igor-thank-you-for-nginx/|archivedate=19 January 2022 |url-status=live}}
In late 2022, Angie, an open source fork of Nginx, was released by some of the former Nginx developers.{{Cite web |last=Darkcrizt |date=2022-11-03 |title=Angie, the Nginx fork created by developers who left F5 |url=https://blog.desdelinux.net/en/angie-the-nginx-fork-created-by-devs-who-ditched-f5/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Desde Linux |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Angie: A New NGINX Fork Developed by Some of Its Former Devs |url=http://vuink.com/post/yvahkvnp-d-dpbz/angie-web-server-is-a-new-nginx-fork |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Vuink.com |language=en}} Igor Sysoev is not actively involved in this project.{{Cite web |last=Borisov |first=Bobby |date=2022-10-31 |title=Angie: A New NGINX Fork Developed by Some of Its Former Devs |url=https://linuxiac.com/angie-web-server-is-a-new-nginx-fork/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Linuxiac |language=en-US}}
In February 2024, Maxim Dounin, one of Nginx's core developers, created a Nginx fork called [http://freenginx.org/ freenginx]. In the open letter announcing the creation, Maxim Dounin criticised F5's interference with Nginx's development.{{Cite web |title=Core NGINX Developer Forks Web Server Into Freenginx |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/Nginx-Forked-To-Freenginx |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.phoronix.com |language=en |last=Larabel |first=Michael |date=2024-02-14}}
See also
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
- Comparison of web server software
- List of Apache–MySQL–PHP packages
- Web accelerator
- {{section link|URL redirection|nginx rewrite}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{Cite web |url=http://nginx.org/en/CHANGES |title=CHANGES |access-date=16 May 2017}}
{{Cite web |url=http://nginx.org/LICENSE |title=Licensing |access-date=18 January 2013}}
{{Cite web |url=https://www.nginx.com/products/application-load-balancing/ |title=Application Load Balancing with NGINX Plus |publisher=NGINX |access-date=9 July 2015}}
{{Cite web |url=https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/how-to-monitor-nginx/ |title=How to monitor NGINX |date=9 July 2015 |publisher=Datadog |access-date=9 July 2015}}
{{Cite journal |date=1 September 2008 |title=Nginx: the High-Performance Web Server and Reverse Proxy |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/10108 |access-date=16 August 2009 |journal=Linux Journal}}
{{Cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/10/11/russian-nginx-raises-3-million-from-international-investors/ |title=Russian Nginx Raises $3 Million From International Investors |last=Natasha Starkell |date=11 October 2011 |publisher=Techcrunch |access-date=20 November 2014}}
{{Cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/10/15/nginx-raises-10m-series-b-round-led-by-nea/ |title=Nginx Raises $10M Series B Round Led By NEA |last=Frederic Lardinois |date=15 October 2013 |publisher=Techcrunch |access-date=20 November 2014}}
{{Cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/12/09/nginx-raises-20m-series-b1-round-to-drive-international-expansion/ |title=Nginx Raises $20M Series B1 Round To Drive International Expansion |last=Frederic Lardinois |date=9 December 2014 |publisher=Techcrunch |access-date=9 December 2014}}
{{Cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/12/09/nginx-funding/ |title=Nginx gets $20M, because an open-source web server is just the beginning |last=Jordan Novet |date=9 December 2014 |work=VentureBeat |access-date=9 December 2014}}
}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- [https://github.com/webserver-llc/angie Angie]
- [https://freenginx.org/ FreeNginx]
{{Web server software}}
Category:Software companies established in 2011
Category:Cross-platform free software
Category:Free software programmed in C
Category:Free web server software
Category:Proxy server software for Linux
Category:Software companies of Russia
Category:Software using the BSD license
Category:Unix network-related software
Category:Web server software for Linux