How the Nginx Location Block Configurator Works

This tool turns a few structured inputs into a correctly formatted location block that matches your routing intent. It chooses the right location modifier (prefix, exact, or regex), includes the directives that belong to your chosen mode, and optionally adds safety defaults like denying hidden files or setting common proxy headers.

Step-by-Step

• 1) Choose a match type: Pick prefix (location /path/), exact (location = /path), or regex (location ~) depending on how you want requests matched.
• 2) Select a mode: Static files, reverse proxy, PHP-FPM, or redirect. Each mode outputs a different directive set aligned with typical Nginx best practices.
• 3) Fill in core values: Provide root and try_files for static, a proxy_pass URL for proxies, a fastcgi_pass socket/host for PHP, or a redirect target and status code.
• 4) Add optional hardening: Enable caching headers, security headers, or basic auth. You can also deny access to dotfiles while allowing /.well-known for ACME and similar workflows.
• 5) Copy or download: The output is formatted for direct use, so you can paste it into your site config and reload Nginx confidently.

Key Features

Match Type Control

Nginx location matching is powerful but easy to get wrong. The configurator lets you choose prefix, exact, or regex matching and formats the modifier correctly so your rule order is predictable.

Mode-Based Directive Sets

Different workloads need different directives. Static content typically relies on root and try_files, reverse proxies rely on proxy_pass and headers, and PHP apps rely on fastcgi_pass plus parameter includes. The tool outputs only what belongs to the selected scenario, keeping configs tidy.

Copy-Ready Proxy Headers

For reverse proxies, the generator can include common upstream headers such as Host, X-Real-IP, and X-Forwarded-For. It also supports WebSocket-friendly settings so real-time apps don’t break due to missing upgrade headers.

Caching and Header Helpers

When you need a quick, consistent cache policy, enable cache headers to add sensible Cache-Control settings and optional expires behavior. You can also include a set of lightweight security headers suited for many deployments, while still leaving room for your own CSP strategy.

Practical Security Toggles

Generate basic auth directives for staging environments, deny dotfiles to prevent accidental leaks, and add helpful inline comments (optional) so teammates understand why a directive is present.

Use Cases

• Static landing pages: Create a location block that serves files from a document root and falls back to an index file or 404 using try_files.
• Single Page Applications (SPA): Use try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html patterns to support client-side routing while still serving real assets efficiently.
• Reverse proxy to an app server: Build a clean proxy location for Node, Go, Python, or container backends with the headers most apps expect.
• API gateway routing: Define precise prefix or regex locations that forward only selected routes to an upstream service while leaving other paths local.
• PHP applications: Generate a PHP-FPM location snippet with fastcgi_pass and baseline parameters, useful for WordPress, Laravel, or legacy PHP sites.
• Temporary redirects: Output a minimal redirect location that uses a chosen status code and target URL for migrations and canonicalization.
• Staging protection: Add basic auth to keep non-production sites private without editing multiple config files by hand.

Whether you’re writing a new site config or tightening an existing one, the configurator saves time and reduces mistakes by keeping output consistent and focused on what you actually need.

Optimization Tips

Prefer Prefix Matches for Most Paths

Use prefix locations for directories and common route groups because they are straightforward and fast to reason about. Switch to exact matches for special endpoints that must override broader prefixes, and use regex only when you truly need pattern matching.

Be Explicit About Upstream Scheme and Trailing Slashes

When using proxy_pass, small differences in the upstream URL and trailing slash can change how Nginx rewrites the request URI. Keep your intent explicit: decide whether you want to preserve the full path or map it into a different upstream prefix, and test a couple of representative endpoints before shipping.

Cache Aggressively Only for Immutable Assets

Long cache lifetimes are best reserved for versioned assets like app.8c1f3.css. For HTML documents or API responses, use shorter cache policies (or no cache) unless you are confident your invalidation strategy is solid.

FAQ