In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of upgrading Nginx on Ubuntu 18.04. Nginx is a popular open-source web server that is known for its high performance, stability, and low resource consumption. Keeping your Nginx server up-to-date is essential for ensuring the best performance and security.
To upgrade Nginx on Ubuntu 18.04, you need to install some dependencies, add the official Nginx repository, update the package lists, and then install the latest stable version of Nginx using the apt-get command. Remember to backup your Nginx configuration files before proceeding with the upgrade.
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure that you have superuser or sudo privileges on your Ubuntu 18.04 system. Also, it’s recommended to backup your Nginx configuration files before proceeding with the upgrade.
Step 1: Installing Dependencies
First, we need to install some dependencies that are required to add a new repository to our system. Run the following command:
sudo apt-get install software-properties-common python-software-propertiesHere, sudo allows you to run the command with superuser privileges, apt-get is the package handling utility in Ubuntu, install is the command to install new packages, and software-properties-common and python-software-properties are the packages we are installing. These packages provide an abstraction of the used apt repositories and allow you to easily manage your distribution and independent software vendor software sources.
Step 2: Adding Nginx Repository
Next, we will add the official Nginx repository to our system. This will allow us to install the latest stable version of Nginx. Run the following command:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nginx/stableThe add-apt-repository command allows you to add a new software source to your system’s sources list. ppa:nginx/stable is the Personal Package Archive (PPA) that contains the latest stable version of Nginx.
Step 3: Updating Package Lists
Now, we need to update our system’s package lists to include the packages from the newly added repository. Run the following command:
sudo apt-get updateThe update command fetches the package lists from the repositories and “updates” them to get information on the newest versions of packages and their dependencies.
Step 4: Installing Nginx
Finally, we can install the latest stable version of Nginx. Run the following command:
sudo apt-get install nginxDuring the installation, you may be prompted with a message about the configuration file. If you’ve made changes to your Nginx configuration file, select “N” to keep your currently-installed version.
After the installation is complete, you can verify that you have the latest version of Nginx installed by running:
nginx -vThis command will display the version of Nginx that is currently installed on your system.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully upgraded Nginx on your Ubuntu 18.04 system. Remember to regularly check for updates to ensure your system’s performance and security. For more information on managing your Nginx server, you can refer to the official Nginx documentation.
Remember, it’s always recommended to refer to official documentation or trusted sources for installation and upgrade instructions. Stay tuned for more articles on managing and optimizing your Nginx server.
No, adding the official Nginx repository is necessary to install the latest stable version of Nginx on Ubuntu 18.04.
To backup your Nginx configuration files, you can simply make a copy of the /etc/nginx directory. You can use the cp command to create a backup like this: sudo cp -r /etc/nginx /etc/nginx_backup.
If you have made changes to your Nginx configuration file and you are prompted with a message during the installation, select "N" to keep your currently-installed version. This will ensure that your custom configurations are not overwritten.
After the installation is complete, you can verify that you have the latest version of Nginx installed by running the command nginx -v. This will display the version of Nginx that is currently installed on your system.
It is recommended to regularly check for updates to Nginx to ensure your system’s performance and security. Checking for updates once a month or whenever there are security advisories is a good practice.
