Nginx configuration
Learn to configure Nginx with PHP-FPM as a reverse proxy.
Nginx and fastcgi_pass
Nginx hands the incoming HTTP request to PHP-FPM via fastcgi_pass. fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000 points to a local FPM, fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php-fpm.sock to a UNIX socket.
The location ~ \.php$ block sends only paths ending with .php to FPM. fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME declares the full path of the file to run.
include fastcgi_params loads common parameters; it saves you from declaring each one by hand.
SCRIPT_FILENAME and root
Without the SCRIPT_FILENAME parameter FPM cannot tell which file to run. $document_root$fastcgi_script_name builds the full path.
root /var/www/html is the document root; index index.php names the default file. try_files $uri =404 returns 404 when the file is missing.
Together these three directives route both static files and PHP scripts correctly; a wrong setting yields File not found.
Exercise Generate an nginx server block
Build an nginx server block text with PHP: a location ~ \.php$ block containing fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;, fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name; and include fastcgi_params;. Write it to nginx.conf via file_put_contents and echo the text.
Show example solution
Build $nginx with single-quoted parts joined by "\n". Use single quotes so $document_root is not interpolated. Then add file_put_contents("nginx.conf", $nginx); and echo $nginx;.
Example solution:
<?php
// Generate nginx server block
$nginx = 'location ~ \\.php$ {' . "\n" .
' fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;' . "\n" .
' fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;' . "\n" .
' include fastcgi_params;' . "\n" .
'}' . "\n";
file_put_contents("nginx.conf", $nginx);
echo $nginx;Test yourself
-
Which Nginx directive forwards a request to PHP-FPM?
- proxy_pass
- root
- fastcgi_pass
- try_files
Show answer
fastcgi_pass — Correct. fastcgi_pass hands the request to PHP-FPM over the FastCGI protocol.
-
Complete the fastcgi_pass line
<?php $nginx = "location ~ \\.php$ {\n ____ 127.0.0.1:9000;\n include fastcgi_params;\n}"; print_r(["nginx" => $nginx]);Show answer
<?php $nginx = "location ~ \\.php$ {\n fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;\n include fastcgi_params;\n}"; print_r(["nginx" => $nginx]); -
Match the Nginx directives
- fastcgi_pass
- Forwards to PHP-FPM
- fastcgi_param
- Sends a parameter
- root
- Document root directory
- try_files
- Tries file existence