Where do I place this configuration file on Ubuntu/Debian?

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Nginx Configuration Helper

Generate secure, optimized Nginx server block configurations for reverse proxies, static sites, PHP-FPM, and SSL redirects.

Domain Name

Backend / Architecture

Proxy Port (localhost)

Enable HTTPS / SSL (Certbot)Add Security HeadersEnable Gzip CompressionWebSocket Upgrade Headers

/etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com.conf

# =========================================================================
# Nginx Server Block Configuration for example.com
# Generated by OpsKitTools Nginx Helper
# =========================================================================

server {
    listen 80;
    listen [::]:80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    # Redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    # SSL Certificates (Let's Encrypt / Custom)
    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/privkey.pem;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
    ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
    ssl_session_timeout 1d;

    # Security Hardening Headers
    add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
    add_header Referrer-Policy "strict-origin-when-cross-origin" always;
    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload" always;

    # Gzip Compression Directives
    gzip on;
    gzip_vary on;
    gzip_proxied any;
    gzip_comp_level 6;
    gzip_types text/plain text/css text/xml application/json application/javascript application/rss+xml image/svg+xml;

    # Reverse Proxy to Application Backend
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        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;
        # WebSocket Support
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
        proxy_connect_timeout 60s;
        proxy_read_timeout 60s;
    }

    # Deny access to hidden files (.git, .env)
    location ~ /\. {
        deny all;
        access_log off;
        log_not_found off;
    }
}

About Nginx Configuration Helper

Writing Nginx configs from scratch often leads to security oversights or caching bugs. This interactive generator lets you configure domain names, backend proxy destinations, SSL certificates, security headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options), SPA fallbacks, and gzip with best-practice directives.

How to Use This Tool

Enter your domain name (e.g. 'example.com') and listening ports.
Select your site type: Reverse Proxy (Node/Go/Python), Static HTML/SPA, or PHP-FPM.
Configure optional features: SSL/HTTPS redirection, Gzip compression, and modern security headers.
Copy the generated 'nginx.conf' or server block configuration, or download it directly.

Practical Examples & Use Cases

Node.js Reverse Proxy with SSL

Generates an HTTP to HTTPS 301 redirect block alongside an HTTPS server block with proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000, Host headers, and WebSocket upgrades.

Frequently Asked Questions

Place the file in '/etc/nginx/sites-available/your-domain.conf', symlink it to '/etc/nginx/sites-enabled/', and test with 'sudo nginx -t' before reloading.