How to Install Nginx on CentOS 7 Using the Official Nginx Repository

Post Date: September 30, 2018
Last Updated: September 25, 2026

Introduction

Nginx is a lightweight, high-performance web server and reverse proxy commonly used for hosting websites, applications, APIs, and load-balanced services.

The original version of this article covered installing Nginx 1.15.4 on CentOS 7 using the Nginx repository. Since the original procedure was published, Nginx repository configurations, package signing practices, and Linux security requirements have evolved.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

A CentOS 7 x86_64 server
Root or sudo access
Internet connectivity
A configured hostname or server IP
firewalld enabled if you plan to use the local firewall
An existing application or website if Nginx will be used as a reverse proxy

Note: CentOS 7 is no longer supported. For production systems, migration to a supported operating system should be planned.

Step 1: Check the CentOS Version

First, verify the operating system version:

cat /etc/centos-release

You can also check the kernel and architecture:

uname -m
uname -r

The original environment for this article is:

CentOS 7
x86_64

Step 2: Remove an Existing Nginx Package if Required

Before installing Nginx from the official repository, check whether Nginx is already installed:

nginx -v

If Nginx is already installed through another repository or package source, review the installation before replacing it.

You can check the installed RPM package with:

rpm -qa | grep nginx

If the existing installation is no longer required, remove it:

sudo yum remove nginx

Warning: Do not remove an existing Nginx installation on a production server until you have confirmed its configuration and dependencies.

Step 3: Create the Official Nginx Repository

Create the repository configuration:

sudo vi /etc/yum.repos.d/nginx.repo

For the Nginx mainline repository, add:

[nginx]
name=nginx repo
baseurl=http://nginx.org/packages/mainline/centos/$releasever/$basearch/
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgkey=https://nginx.org/keys/nginx_signing.key

Save the file and exit.

Mainline vs. Stable

Nginx provides two primary release tracks:

Mainline – receives newer features and improvements first.
Stable – focuses on a more conservative release stream.

For production environments, select the release stream according to your application’s compatibility and operational requirements rather than automatically choosing the newest package.

Security Note: The original article used gpgcheck=0. That disables RPM signature verification and is not recommended. The updated configuration enables GPG verification.

Step 4: Clean the YUM Cache

Run:

sudo yum clean all

Then rebuild the package metadata:

sudo yum makecache

Verify that the Nginx repository is available:

yum repolist enabled | grep nginx

Step 5: Install Nginx

Install Nginx using YUM:

sudo yum install nginx

When prompted to confirm the installation, enter:

After installation, verify the installed version:

nginx -v

For additional build information:

nginx -V

Step 6: Test the Nginx Configuration

Before starting the service, validate the configuration:

sudo nginx -t

A successful result should indicate that the syntax is valid and the configuration test was successful.

This check is especially important before making configuration changes on production servers.

Step 7: Start Nginx

Start the Nginx service:

sudo systemctl start nginx

Check its status:

sudo systemctl status nginx

If the service starts successfully, Nginx should show an active status.

Step 8: Enable Nginx at Boot

To automatically start Nginx after a server reboot:

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Verify:

sudo systemctl is-enabled nginx

Expected output:

enabled

Step 9: Check the Listening Port

By default, Nginx listens for HTTP traffic on port 80.

Check the listening socket:

sudo ss -ltnp | grep ':80'

If ss is unavailable, you can use:

sudo netstat -lntp | grep ':80'

You should see Nginx listening on port 80.

Step 10: Allow HTTP Traffic Through the Firewall

On CentOS 7, firewalld may be enabled by default.

Check its status:

sudo systemctl status firewalld

To allow HTTP traffic:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=http

If HTTPS will be used, also allow HTTPS:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=https

Reload the firewall:

sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Verify the configuration:

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --list-services

You should see:

http https

if both services were added.

Important: Opening a firewall port does not automatically make the service accessible from the Internet. Cloud providers may also have external firewall rules, security groups, or network ACLs that need to allow the traffic.

Step 11: Test Nginx Locally

Test the web server directly from the server:

curl -I http://127.0.0.1

A successful response should return an HTTP status such as:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

You can also test using the server’s IP address:

curl -I http://SERVER_IP

Replace SERVER_IP with the actual server IP address.

Step 12: Access Nginx from a Browser

Open the following URL:

http://SERVER_IP

Replace SERVER_IP with your server’s public IP address.

If DNS is configured, you can instead access the server using its hostname:

http://example.com

If Nginx is running correctly and the firewall allows the connection, the default Nginx welcome page should be displayed.

Nginx Configuration Location

The main Nginx configuration file installed from the official Nginx repository is generally:

/etc/nginx/nginx.conf

Additional configuration files are commonly located under:

/etc/nginx/conf.d/

You can inspect the complete active configuration with:

sudo nginx -T

This is useful when troubleshooting configuration inheritance, virtual hosts, and included configuration files.

Common Troubleshooting

Nginx Does Not Start

Check the service:

sudo systemctl status nginx

Check the system journal:

sudo journalctl -u nginx --no-pager -n 100

Test the configuration:

sudo nginx -t

Port 80 Is Already in Use

Check which process is using port 80:

sudo ss -ltnp | grep ':80'

A common cause is another web server such as Apache/httpd.

Check Apache:

sudo systemctl status httpd

If Apache is not required:

sudo systemctl stop httpd

To prevent it from starting automatically:

sudo systemctl disable httpd

Firewall Is Blocking the Connection

Check the active firewall rules:

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --list-all

Make sure HTTP is allowed:

sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --list-services

If required:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Cloud Firewall or Security Group Is Blocking Traffic

If the server is hosted on a cloud platform, verify the provider-level firewall or security group.

For HTTP access, TCP port 80 must be permitted.

For HTTPS access, TCP port 443 must be permitted.

The operating system firewall and cloud firewall are separate security layers.

Nginx Service Management Commands

The following commands are useful for day-to-day Nginx administration:

Start Nginx

sudo systemctl start nginx

Stop Nginx

sudo systemctl stop nginx

Restart Nginx

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Reload Nginx

Use reload when you want to apply configuration changes without unnecessarily stopping active connections:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Check Status

sudo systemctl status nginx

Enable at Boot

sudo systemctl enable nginx

Security Considerations

Installing Nginx is only the first step in securing a web server.

For production environments, consider:

Use HTTPS with a valid TLS certificate.
Keep Nginx and the operating system patched where supported.
Restrict unnecessary firewall ports.
Use strong SSH authentication and disable unnecessary access.
Monitor Nginx access and error logs.
Use appropriate security headers.
Protect administrative interfaces.
Review file and directory permissions.
Implement centralized monitoring and alerting.
Maintain tested backups.
Plan migration away from unsupported operating systems such as CentOS 7.

Nginx logs are typically available under:

/var/log/nginx/access.log
/var/log/nginx/error.log

Configuration Summary

Task	Command / Location
Nginx repository	`/etc/yum.repos.d/nginx.repo`
Install Nginx	`sudo yum install nginx`
Test configuration	`sudo nginx -t`
Start service	`sudo systemctl start nginx`
Enable at boot	`sudo systemctl enable nginx`
Check status	`sudo systemctl status nginx`
Check port 80	`sudo ss -ltnp \| grep ':80'`
Allow HTTP	`firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http`
Allow HTTPS	`firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https`
Nginx configuration	`/etc/nginx/nginx.conf`
Nginx logs	`/var/log/nginx/`

Conclusion

Nginx can be installed on CentOS 7 using the official Nginx repository rather than relying on the older packages available through the default CentOS repositories.

The updated process includes repository configuration, GPG verification, Nginx installation, configuration validation, service management, firewall configuration, and connectivity testing.

However, CentOS 7 is now end-of-life, so new production deployments should use a supported operating system. Existing CentOS 7 environments should be evaluated for migration to a supported Linux distribution.

FAQ

1. Is CentOS 7 still supported?

No. CentOS 7 reached End of Life on June 30, 2024. Existing systems should be evaluated for migration to a supported operating system.

2. Should I use Nginx Mainline or Stable?

The choice depends on your application requirements and operational policies. Mainline receives newer features earlier, while stable releases are generally preferred when a more conservative release stream is required.

3. Why is `gpgcheck=1` recommended?

GPG verification allows YUM/RPM to verify that packages are signed by a trusted key. Disabling package signature verification is not recommended.

4. Why can’t I access Nginx from my browser?

Check the following:

Nginx service status
Nginx configuration
Port 80 listening status
firewalld
Cloud firewall/security group
DNS configuration
Network connectivity

5. How do I verify the installed Nginx version?