Plesk 12.0.18 on Debian 7.5 - how to install nginx?

[twelvell]

Dear community,

I searched for Debian 7.5 tutorials, unfortunately, didn't found any useful about on how to install nginx on my LeaseWeb VS. The thing is I got Apache pre-installed and I want to install latest and most stable nginx which would be working together with Apache. This is my very first VS and I am a complete newbie and unexperienced. All I know that I need to access the server root using PuTTY, but I don't have any correct commands that I need to use.

 

[UFHH01]

Hi twelvell,

actually, installing software on Debian - operating systems is quite simple, you either can use "apt-get" or "aptitude".

apt-get install nginx
or
aptitude install nginx​

Please make sure to read and follow the Plesk documentation, which is very detailled:

Plesk 12.5 online documentation
​

You will as well find a lot of solutions, suggestions and word-arounds over the "Plesk Knowledge-Base" ( often in different languages! ):

Plesk Knowledge-Base​

 

[trialotto]

@twelvell,

You stated

I want to install latest and most stable nginx which would be working together with Apache

and, actually, the answer to this implicit question is twofold: there is a stable and a mainline version of Nginx.

The stable version is currently at version number 1.8.1, the mainline version is currently at version number 1.9.14.

However, Plesk actually uses version 1.9.4 and the Nginx version that ships with Plesk is actually Nginx, precompiled with a set of specific modules required for Plesk.

It is strongly recommended to use the default Nginx package that is provided with Plesk.

Naturally, you can (in theory) use any Nginx version and @UFHH01 has given the command to install nginx on debian, but you have to be aware of the following

- all Nginx versions > 1.9.4 have HTTP/2 support, which implies that Apache should have a very recent version
- all Nginx versions > 1.9.11 have dynamic module support, which requires a whole different approach to Nginx, compilation thereof and so on
- all Nginx (mainline) versions have some bugs, which bugs are resolved in later releases of mainline versions,
- debian "wheezy" has an older version of Nginx, while debian "jessie" has the most recent version (1.9.10 if I am not mistaken)
- each debian version has a lot of package versions (nginx-full, nginx-extra, nginx-naxsi and many more), this can be rather confusing
- the command to install nginx (apt-get install nginx) will install a full version (by default), including some modules that you will not need for Plesk
- and so on

In short, you really should prefer to use the default Nginx package provided with Plesk: it is a safe and clean install, without any excess modules.

Just use the webbases installer or the command line autoinstaller to install Nginx, a component of Plesk.

Hope the above helps a bit.

Regards....

 

[twelvell]

Thank you for your help and providing me links! I have just checked the Plesk Components section at my Plesk panel and I can see that we have nginx 1.9.4 debian7.0.15091112 version installed already.

So it turns out I just need to start the nginx service and it will work as engine for front-end, and the Apache will work in backend?

P.s. If it is relevant for this situation - I need to set this server for some WordPress websites, one quiet OpenCart shop, some very quiet Magento and Drupal demos and one Django CMS (python based) website. We have a LeaseWeb virtual server with 4GB of vRAM and 4 vCPU and would like to squeeze out as much performance as possible.

 

[trialotto]

@twelvell

Indeed, just activate the (default) Nginx and you are ready.

With respect to the WP, OpenCart, Magento and Drupal parts of your mail: there are some things to consider, when configuring Nginx.

I suggest that we take on the challenge and find a proper setting for each application.

I also suggest that we, for the sake of convenience, will do that via a personal conversation: just send me a PM via this forum.

I have to run!

Regards....