Guide · Open source
How to use nginxconfig.io: generate an NGINX config
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
nginxconfig.io is a free, web-based generator for NGINX web server configuration, published by DigitalOcean under the MIT licence. You choose your setup options, such as HTTPS, PHP or caching, and the tool shows the matching NGINX config and how each choice changes it. This guide walks through using it so you can start from a working config and understand what each directive does before you deploy.
nginxconfig.iodigitalocean/nginxconfig.io · ★ 28.3k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Open the generator. Go to https://do.co/nginxconfig in your browser. No install is needed for the hosted version.
- 2Pick your site type. Choose the options that match your site, such as PHP, a CMS like WordPress, or a reverse proxy.
- 3Enable the security options you need. Select HTTPS, HTTP/2, HSTS or security headers as required for your site.
- 4Adjust caching and compression. Turn on caching, gzip or brotli if your setup needs them, and watch how the output changes.
- 5Review the output. Read every directive and confirm domain names, paths and upstream addresses match your server.
- 6Test before going live. Apply the config on your own server and check it with NGINX before reloading, since the project says settings should be checked before going live.
What nginxconfig.io does
nginxconfig.io is a web-based generator for NGINX configuration. You enter your setup choices and the tool shows the matching NGINX config. It also shows how each input changes the output, which makes it useful for learning what NGINX directives do.
The project describes itself as a tool to check how NGINX works, observe how inputs affect the output, and generate a config for a specific use case. You can also read the NGINX documentation alongside it.
- Use it to start from a working config instead of writing one from scratch.
- Use it to learn how NGINX directives behave as you change options.
Open the generator
The tool is hosted, so there is nothing to install. Open https://do.co/nginxconfig in your browser. The README lists no prerequisites for using the hosted version.
https://do.co/nginxconfigChoose the options for your site
Work through the setup options that match your server. The README lists these features the generator covers: HTTPS, HTTP/2, IPv6, certbot, HSTS, security headers, SSL profiles, OCSP resolvers, caching, gzip, brotli, fallback routing, reverse proxy, www/non-www redirect, CDN, PHP (TCP/socket, WordPress, Drupal, Magento, Joomla), Node.js support, and a Python (Django) server.
Change one option at a time and watch the output update. This is the easiest way to see what each input controls.
- For HTTPS, HTTP/2 and HSTS, check the TLS-related options together.
- For PHP sites, pick the PHP handling that matches your setup, such as TCP or socket, or a CMS preset such as WordPress.
- For a proxied app, use the reverse proxy and fallback routing options.
Review and copy the generated config
Read the generated NGINX config before you use it. The project's own guidance is that server settings should be checked before going live, and the tool is a config generator only.
Use the output as a starting point. Compare directives you do not recognise against the NGINX documentation at http://nginx.org/en/docs/.
- Check domain names, paths and upstream addresses match your server.
- Check that any certificate paths point to files you actually have.
Check the generated config on a server
The README's development section covers building the project itself, which is separate from using the generator. Only use these commands if you want to run the source code locally.
To test a config you have generated, run it on your own server and validate it with NGINX before reloading. The README does not describe deployment steps, so follow your NGINX installation's own documentation for that.
git clone https://github.com/digitalocean/nginxconfig.io.git
npm ci
npm run devWhat people use it for
- Generate a starting config for a WordPress site on NGINX with PHP-FPM.
- Set up HTTPS with HTTP/2 and HSTS for a static website.
- Create a reverse proxy config that forwards requests to a Node.js app.
- Learn how gzip, brotli or caching options change the NGINX output.
- Add a www to non-www redirect for a domain.
Frequently asked questions
Is nginxconfig.io free?
The repository is licensed under the MIT licence, and the README links to the hosted generator at do.co/nginxconfig. The README does not list pricing, so check the site for current terms.
Do I need to install nginxconfig.io?
No. The README says the hosted generator needs no install, and it lists no prerequisites. Open https://do.co/nginxconfig in a browser to use it.
Can nginxconfig.io set up WordPress on NGINX?
The features list includes PHP options for WordPress, Drupal, Magento and Joomla, along with PHP over TCP or socket. You still need to check the generated config against your own server setup.
Is the generated config safe to use as is?
The project advises checking server settings before going live. Review each directive, confirm paths and domain names, and validate the config with NGINX on your own server.
What are alternatives to nginxconfig.io?
The README lists h5bp/server-configs-nginx, the Mozilla SSL Configuration Generator and other NGINX generators as comparable projects. Mozilla's generator focuses on TLS settings, while h5bp provides a set of server config files.
Is nginxconfig.io a managed hosting service?
No. The README describes only a config generator, so it does not provide a fully managed hosting setup.
New agent skills, repos and AI tools — every week
The best new skills and open-source projects, the fastest-growing repos, and one free prompt. Five minutes to read. Unsubscribe anytime.
Our verdict
Use nginxconfig.io if you want a starting NGINX config for a site or app, or you want to see how directives change with each option. Pick something else if you need managed hosting, or if you do not plan to review and test the generated config before it goes live.
Install options & downloads