How to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy server for a backend application?

To set up Nginx as a reverse proxy server for a backend application, you can follow these steps:

Install Nginx: If you haven't already, install Nginx on your server. The installation process may vary depending on your operating system. Refer to the official Nginx documentation for detailed instructions.
Configure Nginx as a reverse proxy: Open the Nginx configuration file, usually located at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf or /etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf. Add the following code within the http block:

server {
    listen 80;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://backend_server_ip:backend_server_port;
    }
}

Replace backend_server_ip with the IP address or hostname of your backend server and backend_server_port with the port number your backend application is listening on.

Test the Nginx configuration: Run a configuration test to ensure there are no syntax errors in the Nginx configuration file. Execute the following command:

nginx -t

If the test is successful, you'll see "Syntax is OK" message.

Restart Nginx: Apply the changes and restart the Nginx service by running the following command:

systemctl restart nginx

If you're not using systemd, use the appropriate command for your system.

Configure DNS or load balancer: Point the domain or subdomain you want to use to the IP address of the server running Nginx. If you're using a load balancer, configure it to route traffic to the Nginx server.
Test the reverse proxy setup: Open a web browser and visit the domain or subdomain you configured in the previous step. Nginx should reverse proxy requests to your backend application.

Note: Depending on your backend application's requirements, you might need to configure additional settings, such as proxy headers, headers rewriting, SSL/TLS encryption, caching, etc. Consult the documentation or specific requirements of your backend application to ensure a proper setup.