How To Change Localhost To Domain Name In Nginx


How To Change Localhost To Domain Name In Nginx

Introduction To Nginx

Nginx is an open-source web server created by Igor Sysoev in 2002. Nginx is incredibly fast and has developed into one of the most popular web servers in the world. It is used by most of the top websites, such as Netflix, Airbnb, WordPress, Tumblr, and many more. Nginx is incredibly versatile, allowing you to create powerful configurations with ease.

What Is Localhost?

Localhost is a domain name specifically designed to point to an address on the local computer. It is the most common way to access local web servers, such as those that are running an application or website on a user’s computer. When the user types “localhost” into the browser address bar, the browser will connect to the local web server on the user’s computer, bypassing any external connections.

What Is A Domain Name?

A domain name is a unique label which identifies a website on the Internet. It is often referred to as a “web address” and is used to identify a website and its associated IP address. In simpler terms, a domain name is a phrase which is used to reach and access a website, such as Google.com or Facebook.com. Domain names are available for purchase from domain name registrars.

How To Change Localhost To Domain Name In Nginx

The process of changing from localhost to an actual domain name in Nginx is easy to do. All you need to do is edit the Nginx config file to point a domain name to the localhost IP address. Here are the steps required to do this on a Mac:

  • Open up your Terminal or command prompt and navigate to the Nginx config folder, usually located at /usr/local/etc/nginx/
  • Once there, open up the nginx.conf file in a text editor.
  • Edit the server block, which should contain the following code:
  • Change the server_name line to the domain name of your choice, such as
    server_name example.com;

  • Save the file and restart Nginx, which can be done by running the following command in your Terminal:
    sudo service nginx restart
  • Once Nginx has restarted, you should be able to access the website using the domain name rather than localhost.

Testing The Domain Name In Nginx

Once you have successfully changed your localhost to a domain name in Nginx, it’s important to test it to make sure it’s working as intended. To do this, open up your browser and type in the domain name you just configured. If the website opens up normally, then the configuration was successful. If not, then it’s likely that there is a problem with the configuration.

Conclusion

Changing from localhost to a domain name in Nginx is a straightforward process that anyone can do with a few clicks. As long as you have access to the Nginx config file, you can quickly and easily edit it to point a domain name to the local computer. And if you ever need to test the new configuration, simply open up the website in your browser to make sure it’s working correctly.

FAQs

Q: What is localhost?

A: Localhost is a domain name specifically designed to point to an address on the local computer. It is the most common way to access local web servers.

Q: What is a domain name?

A: A domain name is a unique label which identifies a website on the Internet. It is often referred to as a “web address” and is used to identify a website and its associated IP address.

Q: How do I change from localhost to a domain name in Nginx?

A: The process is simple. Just edit the Nginx config file to point the localhost IP address to the domain name, save the file, and restart Nginx.

Conclusion

In this article, we have gone over the steps required to change from localhost to a domain name in Nginx. We have also discussed what localhost and domain names are, as well as how to test the new configuration. We hope that this article has been helpful and that it has given you the information you need to make the switch successfully.

Thank you for reading this article. Please read other articles related to Nginx and web servers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *