Run sudo nginx -t to check syntax errors and locate problem lines; 2. Check sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log to obtain runtime errors such as permissions, ports, paths, etc.; 3. Use curl to test the response and add a unique header to confirm the matching configuration block; 4. Troubleshoot common problems such as missing semicolons, errors in root paths, location order, not loading of include and SELinux restrictions. If necessary, use nginx -T to view the complete effective configuration. After accurate positioning, you can efficiently solve the Nginx configuration problem.
Debugging Nginx configuration doesn't have to be frustrating — if you know where to look and what tools to use. Here's how to do it efficiently:

? 1. Check Syntax First
Always start here — Nginx won't reload if there's a syntax error.
sudo nginx -t
This tests the config files and tells you:

- If syntax is OK
- Which config file is being tested
- Line number of any error (eg, missing semicolon, unclosed block)
? Pro tip: Run this before every reload. Even experienced users forget — it saves 90% of debugging time.
? 2. Read the Error Logs
If nginx -t
passes but Nginx still doesn't behave as expected, check the logs:

sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
Common issues you'll see:
- Permission denied (eg, Nginx can't read files in
/home/user/www
) - Port already in use (
Address already in use
) - Misconfigured
root
orindex
directives - SSL certificate paths wrong or permissions too open
? Look for timestamps — errors often happen on reload/start, so watch the log right after:
sudo systemctl reload nginx
? 3. Test Specific Config Blocks
If your site isn't serving content:
- Use
curl
locally to test:curl -I http://localhost
- Check which server block Nginx is matching: Add a unique header temporarily:
add_header X-Config-Test "This-is-my-site";
Then:
curl -I http://yoursite.com | grep X-Config-Test
If the header doesn't show up — Nginx isn't using the config block you think it is.
?? 4. Common Pitfalls (and Fixes)
- Missing semicolon : Nginx is strict — every directive ends in
;
- Wrong root path : Use absolute paths like
/var/www/mysite
, not relative ones - Location block precedence :
/
matches everything — put more specific ones (like/api/
) first - Include files not loaded : Make sure
include /etc/nginx/conf.d/*.conf;
is in your mainnginx.conf
- SELinux/AppArmor : On some systems (like CentOS/RHEL), even correct permissions fail due to security modules — check with
ausearch -m avc -ts recent
Bonus: Use nginx -T
to dump full config
nginx -T
Shows the final parsed config — super useful when including and nested blocks make it hard to tell what's active.
Debugging Nginx is mostly about ruling out the obvious first — syntax, logs, and paths. Once those are clean, you're usually 90% there.
The above is the detailed content of Debugging Nginx Configuration. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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