By name: nginx-proxy description: "Configure Nginx as a reverse proxy for routing traffic to backend services."
Nginx Reverse Proxy
Overview
Nginx is a high-performance web server that excels as a reverse proxy for routing traffic to backend services. This skill should be invoked when routing external traffic to internal services, implementing SSL termination, or setting up load balancing.
Core Principles
- Reverse Proxy: Forward requests to backend services
- Upstream: Define backend server groups
- Location Routing: Use location blocks for path-based routing
- SSL/TLS: Terminate HTTPS for backends
Preparation Checklist
- Install Nginx
- Plan routing structure
- Identify backend services
- Prepare SSL certificates
Step-by-Step Process
- Install: Set up Nginx
- Define Upstreams: Configure backend servers
- Route: Set up location blocks
- SSL: Configure TLS termination
- Test: Validate configuration
- Reload: Apply changes
Do's and Don'ts
- ✅ Do use upstream blocks for backends
- ✅ Do include security headers
- ✅ Do validate config before reload
- ❌ Don't skip SSL configuration
- ❌ Don't ignore upstream health checks
- ❌ Don't forget to reload after changes
Anti-Patterns
- No Upstreams: Hardcoding backend URLs
- Missing Headers: Not adding security headers
- No Health Checks: Not monitoring backends
- Config Errors: Reloading invalid config