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diff --git a/blog/2022-02-16-debian-and-nginx.org b/blog/2022-02-16-debian-and-nginx.org index 50cadf9..39ab36c 100644 --- a/blog/2022-02-16-debian-and-nginx.org +++ b/blog/2022-02-16-debian-and-nginx.org @@ -1,76 +1,78 @@ -+++ -date = 2022-02-16 -title = "Migrating to a New Web Server Setup with Debian, Nginx, and Agate" -description = "I've finally taken the leap of faith on two different technologies for the first time: trying out Debian as my main server OS and Nginx as my web server software." -draft = false -+++ - -## Server OS: Debian - - - -I've used various Linux distributions throughout the years, but I've never used -anything except Ubuntu for my servers. -Why? -I really have no idea, mostly just comfort around the commands and software -availability. - -However, I have always wanted to try Debian as a server OS after testing it out -in a VM a few years ago (side-note: I'd love to try Alpine too, but I always -struggle with compatibility). So, I decided to launch a new VPS and use -[Debian](https://www.debian.org) 11 as the OS. Spoiler alert: it feels identical -to Ubuntu for my purposes. - -I did the normal things when first launching the VPS, such as adding a new user, -locking down SSH, etc. If you want to see that level of detail, read my other -post about -[How to Set Up a VPS Web Server](https://cleberg.net/blog/how-to-set-up-a-vps-web-server/). - -All of this has been similar, apart from small things such as the location of -users' home folders. No complaints at all from me - Debian seems great. - -## Web Server: Nginx - - - -Once I had the baseline server configuration set-up for Debian, I moved on to -trying out [Nginx](https://nginx.org) as my web server software. This required -me to install the `nginx` and `ufw` packages, as well as setting up the initial -UFW config: - -```sh +#+title: Migrating to a New Web Server Setup with Debian, Nginx, and Agate +#+date: 2022-02-16 + +** Server OS: Debian +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: server-os-debian +:END: +#+caption: Debian + neofetch +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220216-migrating-to-debian-and-nginx/neofetch.png]] + +I've used various Linux distributions throughout the years, but I've +never used anything except Ubuntu for my servers. Why? I really have no +idea, mostly just comfort around the commands and software availability. + +However, I have always wanted to try Debian as a server OS after testing +it out in a VM a few years ago (side-note: I'd love to try Alpine too, +but I always struggle with compatibility). So, I decided to launch a new +VPS and use [[https://www.debian.org][Debian]] 11 as the OS. Spoiler +alert: it feels identical to Ubuntu for my purposes. + +I did the normal things when first launching the VPS, such as adding a +new user, locking down SSH, etc. If you want to see that level of +detail, read my other post about +[[https://cleberg.net/blog/how-to-set-up-a-vps-web-server/][How to Set +Up a VPS Web Server]]. + +All of this has been similar, apart from small things such as the +location of users' home folders. No complaints at all from me - Debian +seems great. + +** Web Server: Nginx +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: web-server-nginx +:END: +#+caption: Nginx status +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220216-migrating-to-debian-and-nginx/nginx.png]] + +Once I had the baseline server configuration set-up for Debian, I moved +on to trying out [[https://nginx.org][Nginx]] as my web server software. +This required me to install the =nginx= and =ufw= packages, as well as +setting up the initial UFW config: + +#+begin_src sh sudo apt install nginx ufw sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full' sudo ufw allow SSH sudo ufw enable sudo ufw status sudo systemctl status nginx -``` +#+end_src -Once I had the firewall set, I moved on to creating the directories and files -for my website. This is very easy and is basically the same as setting up an -Apache server, so no struggles here. +Once I had the firewall set, I moved on to creating the directories and +files for my website. This is very easy and is basically the same as +setting up an Apache server, so no struggles here. -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo mkdir -p /var/www/your_domain/html sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/your_domain/html sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/your_domain nano /var/www/your_domain/html/index.html -``` +#+end_src -The next part, creating the Nginx configuration files, is quite a bit different -from Apache. First, you need to create the files in the `sites-available` folder -and symlink it the `sites-enabled` folder. +The next part, creating the Nginx configuration files, is quite a bit +different from Apache. First, you need to create the files in the +=sites-available= folder and symlink it the =sites-enabled= folder. Creating the config file for your domain: -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_domain -``` +#+end_src Default content for an Nginx config file: -```sh +#+begin_src sh server { listen 80; listen [::]:80; @@ -84,42 +86,43 @@ server { try_files $uri $uri/ =404; } } -``` +#+end_src Finally, symlink it together: -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_domain /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ -``` +#+end_src This will make your site available to the public (as long as you have -`your_domain` DNS records pointed at the server's IP address)! +=your_domain= DNS records pointed at the server's IP address)! -Next, I used [certbot](https://certbot.eff.org/) to issue an HTTPS certificate -for my domains using the following commands: +Next, I used [[https://certbot.eff.org/][certbot]] to issue an HTTPS +certificate for my domains using the following commands: -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo apt install snapd; sudo snap install core; sudo snap refresh core sudo snap install --classic certbot sudo ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot sudo certbot --nginx -``` +#+end_src -Now that certbot ran successfully and updated my Nginx config files to include a -`443` server block of code, I went back in and edited the config file to include -security HTTP headers. This part is optional, but is recommended for security -purposes; you can even test a website's HTTP header security at -[Security Headers](https://securityheaders.com/). +Now that certbot ran successfully and updated my Nginx config files to +include a =443= server block of code, I went back in and edited the +config file to include security HTTP headers. This part is optional, but +is recommended for security purposes; you can even test a website's HTTP +header security at [[https://securityheaders.com/][Security Headers]]. -The configuration below shows a set-up where you only want your website to serve -content from its own domain, except for images and scripts, which may come from -`nullitics.com`. All other content would be blocked from loading in a browser. +The configuration below shows a set-up where you only want your website +to serve content from its own domain, except for images and scripts, +which may come from =nullitics.com=. All other content would be blocked +from loading in a browser. -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_domain -``` +#+end_src -```sh +#+begin_src sh server { ... add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'none'; img-src 'self' https://nullitics.com; script-src 'self' https://nullitics.com; style-src 'self'; font-src 'self'"; @@ -130,46 +133,50 @@ server { add_header Referrer-Policy "no-referrer"; ... } -``` +#+end_src -```sh +#+begin_src sh sudo systemctl restart nginx -``` - -### Nginx vs. Apache - -As I stated at the beginning, my historical hesitation with trying Nginx was -that the differences in configuration formats scared me away from leaving -Apache. -However, I prefer Nginx to Apache for a few reasons: - -1. Nginx uses only one config file (`your_domain`) vs. Apache's two-file - approach for HTTP vs. HTTPS (`your_domain.conf` and - `your_domain-le-ssl.conf`). -2. Symlinking new configurations files and reloading Nginx are way easier than - Apache's process of having to enable headers with `a2enmod mod_headers`, - enable PHP with `a2enmod php` (plus any other mods you need), and then - enabling sites with `a2ensite`, and THEN reloading Apache. -3. The contents of the Nginx config files seem more organized and logical with - the curly-bracket approach. - This is a minor reason, but everything just felt cleaner while I was - installing my sites and that had a big quality of life impact on the - installation for me. - -They're both great software packages, but Nginx just seems more organized and -easier to use these days. -I will certainly be exploring the Nginx docs to see what other fun things I -can do with all of this. - -## Gemini Server: Agate - - - -Finally, I set up the Agate software on this server again to host my Gemini -server content, using Rust as I have before. -You can read my other post for more information on installing Agate: -[Hosting a Gemini Server](https://cleberg.net/blog/hosting-a-gemini-server/). - -All in all, Debian + Nginx is very slick and I prefer it over my old combination -of Ubuntu + Apache (although it's really just Nginx > Apache for me, since -Debian seems mostly the same as Ubuntu is so far). +#+end_src + +*** Nginx vs. Apache +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: nginx-vs.-apache +:END: +As I stated at the beginning, my historical hesitation with trying Nginx +was that the differences in configuration formats scared me away from +leaving Apache. However, I prefer Nginx to Apache for a few reasons: + +1. Nginx uses only one config file (=your_domain=) vs. Apache's two-file + approach for HTTP vs. HTTPS (=your_domain.conf= and + =your_domain-le-ssl.conf=). +2. Symlinking new configurations files and reloading Nginx are way + easier than Apache's process of having to enable headers with + =a2enmod mod_headers=, enable PHP with =a2enmod php= (plus any other + mods you need), and then enabling sites with =a2ensite=, and THEN + reloading Apache. +3. The contents of the Nginx config files seem more organized and + logical with the curly-bracket approach. This is a minor reason, but + everything just felt cleaner while I was installing my sites and that + had a big quality of life impact on the installation for me. + +They're both great software packages, but Nginx just seems more +organized and easier to use these days. I will certainly be exploring +the Nginx docs to see what other fun things I can do with all of this. + +** Gemini Server: Agate +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: gemini-server-agate +:END: +#+caption: Agate status +[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220216-migrating-to-debian-and-nginx/agate.png]] + +Finally, I set up the Agate software on this server again to host my +Gemini server content, using Rust as I have before. You can read my +other post for more information on installing Agate: +[[https://cleberg.net/blog/hosting-a-gemini-server/][Hosting a Gemini +Server]]. + +All in all, Debian + Nginx is very slick and I prefer it over my old +combination of Ubuntu + Apache (although it's really just Nginx > Apache +for me, since Debian seems mostly the same as Ubuntu is so far). |