Running multiple websites on a single Nginx web server is a common requirement for web administrators. Nginx uses server blocks to manage multiple websites on the same server. This guide will show you how to set up multiple websites on an Nginx web server running Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat.
Step 1: Update Your Package List
Before setting up your server, ensure that your package list is up to date. Open your terminal and run:
$ sudo apt updateThis command refreshes the package list to ensure you have the latest information on available packages.
Step 2: Install Nginx
If you haven’t installed Nginx yet, you can do so by running:
$ sudo apt install nginxStep 3: Configure DNS for Each Domain
Make sure that each domain you plan to host is pointed to your server’s IP address. You can verify this with tools like dig:
$ dig yourdomain.com +shortRepeat this for each domain to ensure they all resolve to your server’s IP address.
Step 4: Set Up Directory Structure
Create a directory for each website you plan to host. For example, to set up directories for example1.com and example2.com, run:
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example1.com/html
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example2.com/htmlSet the correct permissions for these directories:
$ sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/example1.com/html
$ sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/example2.com/html
$ sudo chmod -R 755 /var/wwwStep 5: Create Sample Pages
Create a simple index.html file for each website to test the configuration. For example, for example1.com:
$ nano /var/www/example1.com/html/index.htmlAdd the following content:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Welcome to example1.com!</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Success! The example1.com server block is working!</h1>
</body>
</html>Repeat the process for example2.com:
$ nano /var/www/example2.com/html/index.htmlAdd the following content:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Welcome to example2.com!</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Success! The example2.com server block is working!</h1>
</body>
</html>Step 6: Configure Nginx Server Blocks
Create a server block configuration file for each website. For example1.com:
$ sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/example1.comAdd the following configuration:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example1.com www.example1.com;
root /var/www/example1.com/html;
index index.html index.htm;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}
}Repeat the process for example2.com:
$ sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/example2.comAdd the following configuration:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example2.com www.example2.com;
root /var/www/example2.com/html;
index index.html index.htm;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}
}Step 7: Enable the Server Blocks
Enable each server block by creating a symbolic link from the sites-available directory to the sites-enabled directory. For example1.com:
$ sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example1.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/For example2.com:
$ sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example2.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/Step 8: Test Nginx Configuration
Test the Nginx configuration for syntax errors:
$ sudo nginx -tIf the output indicates that the syntax is OK, reload Nginx to apply the changes:
$ sudo systemctl reload nginxStep 9: Verify the Setup
Open your web browser and navigate to http://example1.com and http://example2.com. You should see the respective sample pages for each domain, confirming that both sites are being served correctly by Nginx.
Step 10: Secure Your Websites with SSL (Optional)
For better security, you should secure your websites with SSL certificates. You can use Certbot to obtain free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt. Install Certbot and the Nginx plugin:
$ sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginxObtain and install certificates for each domain:
$ sudo certbot --nginx -d example1.com -d www.example1.com
$ sudo certbot --nginx -d example2.com -d www.example2.comCertbot will automatically configure Nginx to use the SSL certificates and set up redirection from HTTP to HTTPS.
Conclusion
You have successfully configured Nginx to host multiple websites on a single server running Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat. By following these steps, you can manage multiple domains efficiently and ensure your sites are secure and performant.
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