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Nginx Fundamentals: High Performance Servers from Scratch

3h 56m 24s
English
Paid

Learn to install, configure and tweak NGINX to create secure, high performance web servers from scratch. NGINX is the fastest growing and most popular web server for a reason, so understanding it will be an invaluable skill to anyone working in the web industry, specially network admins & web developers. This course will provide a very practical and concise approach to learning NGINX and will give you a solid base to immediately start creating secure, high performance web servers.

Build a strong foundation in NGINX with this practical course suited to both beginners and the more experienced.

  • Learn to customise the NGINX installation

  • Configure NGINX as a web server

  • Install & configure a server-side programming language as an NGINX backend

  • Learn to tweak NGINX for optimal performance

  • Secure NGINX with some security best practises

Content and Overview

With 39 concise and practical lectures, this course aims to teach a solid foundational understanding of NGINX and is suitable for anyone with a basic understanding of networking and the linux command line interface.

The course starts by looking at the differences between NGINX and Apache for those with Apache experience and then explains the different ways of installing NGINX, customising your install, and configuring NGINX as a service.

The installation section also covers updating NGINX without downtime and adding/removing modules.

The bulk of the course is then focussed on configuring NGINX as a web server, including connecting it to a PHP backend and configuring some of NGINX's best features, such as Gzipping and GeoIP.

The final section will go over securing the server and the user via SSL and other security best practices.

Upon completion of this course you will have the practical skills to immediately start building secure, high performance web servers or improve and better understand existing hosting solutions you might work with.

This course is to the point and everything is demonstrated in the most simple, yet practical ways.

We do not focus on the theory, but get straight to installing, configuring and learning!

Requirements:
  • Understand basic networking concepts
  • Be comfortable using the command line
Who this course is for:
  • This course is aimed at Nginx newbies looking to get started as quickly and effectively as possible.
  • The aim is to get a practical understanding of Nginx as a real-world web server and not dig into all of it's features.
  • The course does not cover hosting/networking concepts, but rather assumes an understanding of the basic principles and use of commands such as curl.

What you'll learn:

  • Learn to create custom Nginx web servers
  • Customise your Nginx install
  • Secure & optimise your server
  • Add an invaluable skill to your resume
  • Verifiable certificate of completion

About the Author: Udemy

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Udemy is the largest open marketplace for online courses on the internet. Founded in 2010 by Eren Bali, Oktay Caglar, and Gagan Biyani and headquartered in San Francisco, the company went public on the Nasdaq in 2021 under the ticker UDMY. The platform hosts well over two hundred thousand courses across software development, IT and cloud, data science, design, business, marketing, and creative skills, taught by tens of thousands of independent instructors. Roughly seventy million learners use it worldwide, and the corporate arm — Udemy Business — supplies a curated subset of that catalog to enterprise customers.

Because Udemy is a marketplace rather than a single editorial publisher, the catalog is uneven by design. The strongest material lives in the long-form, project-based courses authored by working engineers — full-stack JavaScript, React, Node.js, Python data science, AWS, Docker and Kubernetes, mobile development with Flutter and React Native, and cloud certification preparation. The CourseFlix listing under this source is the slice of that catalog that has been mirrored here for offline-friendly viewing, organized by topic and updated as new releases land. Pricing on Udemy itself swings dramatically with the site's near-permanent sales, which is why the platform is best treated as a deep reference catalog: pick instructors with strong reviews and a track record of updating their material rather than buying on the headline price alone.

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#1: Introduction
All Course Lessons (39)
#Lesson TitleDurationAccess
1
Introduction Demo
01:48
2
About NGINX
01:16
3
NGINX vs Apache
04:32
4
Server Overview
02:43
5
Installing with a Package Manager
05:31
6
Building Nginx from Source & Adding Modules
09:39
7
Adding an NGINX Service
05:41
8
Nginx for Windows
00:59
9
Understanding Configuration Terms
01:37
10
Creating a Virtual Host
07:02
11
Location blocks
06:12
12
Variables
06:48
13
Rewrites & Redirects
07:17
14
Try Files & Named Locations
06:11
15
Logging
05:39
16
Inheritance & Directive types
03:09
17
PHP Processing
11:31
18
Worker Processes
06:27
19
Buffers & Timeouts
07:43
20
Adding Dynamic Modules
07:11
21
Headers & Expires
05:30
22
Compressed Responses with gzip
05:02
23
FastCGI Cache
13:01
24
HTTP2
12:51
25
Server Push
04:25
26
HTTPS (SSL)
11:18
27
Rate Limiting
11:58
28
Basic Auth
03:34
29
Hardening Nginx
07:17
30
Let's Encrypt - SSL Certificates
12:08
31
Prerequisites
04:30
32
Reverse Proxy
07:25
33
Load Balancer
07:37
34
Load Balancer Options
03:47
35
Documentation & Resources
02:58
36
Bonus Lecture: Feedback & Course Coupons
00:50
37
Adding an NGINX Init Service
05:28
38
GeoIP
05:16
39
Video streaming
02:33
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Frequently asked questions

What prerequisites are needed before taking this course?
Before enrolling in this course, students should have a basic understanding of web servers and networking concepts. Familiarity with command-line interfaces and basic Linux system operations will be beneficial, as the course involves installing and configuring NGINX on various operating systems, including Linux and Windows.
What will I build or accomplish by the end of this course?
By the end of the course, you will be able to create secure, high-performance NGINX web servers. You will learn to install, configure, and optimize NGINX, handle PHP processing, set up HTTPS with Let's Encrypt SSL certificates, and configure advanced features like reverse proxy, load balancing, and video streaming.
Who is the target audience for this course?
The course is designed for network administrators and web developers who want to enhance their skills in deploying and managing web servers. Individuals seeking to improve their understanding of web server performance and security will also benefit.
How does the depth of this course compare to other NGINX courses?
This course provides a practical and concise approach to learning NGINX. It covers essential topics such as installation, configuration, security hardening, and advanced features like FastCGI cache and HTTP2. Unlike broader courses, it focuses specifically on building secure and high-performance web servers from scratch.
Which specific tools or platforms will be used throughout the course?
The course involves using NGINX on various platforms, including Linux and Windows. Tools and modules such as FastCGI cache, Let's Encrypt for SSL certificates, and GeoIP are covered. Students will also learn how to configure PHP processing and compressed responses using gzip.
What topics are not covered in this course?
The course does not cover in-depth networking concepts or other web servers like Apache in detail. While NGINX vs Apache is discussed, the focus remains on NGINX configurations and optimizations. It also does not delve into application programming or database management.
How can the skills learned in this course be applied to other areas or careers?
Skills learned in this course are valuable for careers in web development and network administration. Understanding NGINX can enhance your ability to manage web infrastructure, optimize server performance, and ensure secure communications, making you more effective in roles that require server management and web application deployment.