What are the essential Nginx best practices for Node.js?
Remove the default site, add proxy headers (Host, X-Real-IP, X-Forwarded-For, X-Forwarded-Proto, Upgrade, Connection), add security headers (HSTS, X-Frame-Options, CSP), enable SSL with Let's Encrypt, redirect HTTP to HTTPS, enable gzip, cache static files, and set rate limiting.
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More FAQs in Nginx Summary and Best Practices Key Takeaways for Node.js Deployment
Nginx serves as a reverse proxy (routes port 80/443 to Node.js on 3000), SSL terminator (handles HTTPS), static file server (React builds), load balancer (multiple Node.js instances), security layer (rate limiting, headers), and performance optimizer (gzip, caching, keep-alive).
Always use reload (sudo systemctl reload nginx) for config changes in production. Reload applies new settings without dropping active connections. Restart stops and starts Nginx, causing a brief downtime. Always test with nginx -t before either.
Nginx receives internet traffic on port 80/443, handles SSL and security, and proxies to Node.js on port 3000. PM2 keeps the Node.js process running, restarts on crash, and can run multiple instances (cluster mode). Together they form a production-ready deployment stack.
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