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https://github.com/perusio/wordpress-nginx

Nginx configuration for running WordPress
https://github.com/perusio/wordpress-nginx

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Nginx configuration for running WordPress

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# Nginx configuration for WordPress



## Introduction 



   This is a nginx configuration for running [WordPress](http://wordpress.org "WordPress").

   

   It **differs** from the _usual_ configuration, like the

   [one](http://wiki.nginx.org/Wordpress "Nginx Wiki WordPress

   config") available on the [Nginx Wiki](http://wiki.nginx.org "Nginx

   Wiki").

   

   It makes use of **nested locations** with named capture groups

   instead of [fastcgi_split\_path\_info](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpFcgiModule#fastcgi_split_path_info

   "FastCGI split path info").



   This example configuration assumes that the site is called

   `example.com`. Change accordingly to reflect your server setup.

   

## Features



   1. Filtering of invalid HTTP `Host` headers.



   2. Access to install files, like `install.php,` is protected using

      [HTTP Basic Auth](http://wiki.nginx.org/NginxHttpAuthBasicModule

      "Basic Auth Nginx Module").  



   3. Protection of all the _internal_ directories, like version

      control repositories and the `readme` file(s) 

      that come with WP or an external plugin.



   4. Faster and more secure handling of PHP FastCGI by Nginx using

      named groups in regular expressions instead of using

      [fastcgi_split\_path\_info](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpFcgiModule#fastcgi_split_path_info

      "FastCGI split path info"). Requires Nginx version ≥ 0.8.25.



   5. Compatible with the WordPress plugin

      [wp-super-cache](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache "WordPress

      SuperCache") for serving static pages to anonymous users.

      

   6. [Upload Progress](http://wiki.nginx.org/NginxHttpUploadProgressModule

      "Upload progress Nginx module") support.   

   

   7. Possibility of using **Apache** as a backend for dealing with

      PHP. Meaning using Nginx as

      [reverse proxy](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpProxyModule "Nginx

      Proxy Module").

      

   8. Operating system

      [open files cache](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpCoreModule#open_file_cache)

      for static assets like CSS and JS, for example.

      

   9. [FLV](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpFlvStreamModule) and

      [H264/AAC](http://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_mp4_module.html)

      pseudo streaming support. 

      

      Note that for **mp4** streaming to work properly, with seeking

      enabled, you must use a **compatible player** and run a Nginx

      version greater or equal to 1.1.3 for the development branch and

      1.0.7 for the stable branch.



## Basic Auth for access to restricted files like install.php



   `install.php` and the WordPress `readme.html` are protected using

   Basic Auth. The readme file discloses the version number of

   WordPress.

   

   Not only `install.php`, but any PHP file that has **install.php**

   as the ending is protected. This way if, for example, there's a

   permission problem with `wp-config.php` and WP can't read the file

   it will invoke `install.php` since it assumes that if no specific

   configuration information is available then the site must not yet

   be installed. Now imagine that this happens on your site and that

   someone stumbles on the `install.php`? If not protected by the

   Basic Auth, information disclosure would be the least potential

   problem.



   You have to create the `.htpasswd-users` file with the user(s) and

   password(s). For that, if you're on Debian or any of its

   derivatives like Ubuntu you need the

   [apache2-utils](http://packages.debian.org/search?suite%3Dall&section%3Dall&arch%3Dany&searchon%3Dnames&keywords%3Dapache2-utils)

   package installed. Then create your password file by issuing:



          htpasswd -d -b -c .htpasswd-users  



   You should delete this command from your shell history

   afterwards with `history -d ` or alternatively

   omit the `-b` switch, then you'll be prompted for the password.



   This creates the file (there's a `-c` switch). For adding

   additional users omit the `-c`.



   Of course you can rename the password file to whatever you want,

   then accordingly change its name in the virtual host config

   file, `example.com`.



## Nginx as a Reverse Proxy: Proxying to Apache for PHP



   If you **absolutely need** to use the rather _bad habit_ of

   deploying web apps relying on `.htaccess`, or you just want to use

   Nginx as a reverse proxy. The config allows you to do so. Note that

   this provides some benefits over using only Apache, since Nginx is

   much faster than Apache. Furthermore you can use the proxy cache

   and/or use Nginx as a load balancer. 



## IPv6 and IPv4



The configuration of the example vhosts uses **separate** sockets for

IPv6 and IPv4. This way is simpler for those not (yet) having IPv6

support to disable it by commenting out the

[`listen`](http://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#listen)

directive with the `ipv6only=on` parameter.



Note that the IPv6 address uses an IP _stolen_ from the

[IPv6 Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6). You **must

replace** the indicated address by **your** address.



## Installation



   1. Move the old `/etc/nginx` directory to `/etc/nginx.old`.

   

   2. Clone the git repository from github:

   

      `git clone https://github.com/perusio/wordpress-nginx.git`

   

   3. Edit the `sites-available/example.com.conf` configuration file

      to suit your requirements. Namely replacing `example.com` with

      **your** domain.

   

   4. Setup the PHP handling method. It can be:

   

      + Upstream HTTP server like Apache with mod_php. To use this

        method comment out the `include upstream_phpcgi.conf;`

        line in `nginx.conf` and uncomment the lines:

        

            include reverse_proxy.conf;

            include upstream_phpapache.conf;



        Now you must set the proper address and port for your

        backend(s) in the `upstream_phpapache.conf`. By default it

        assumes the loopback `127.0.0.1` interface on port

        `8080`. Adjust accordingly to reflect your setup.



        Comment out **all**  `fastcgi_pass` directives in either

        `drupal_boost.conf` or `drupal_boost_drush.conf`, depending

        which config layout you're using. Uncomment out all the

        `proxy_pass` directives. They have a comment around them,

        stating these instructions.

      

      + FastCGI process using php-cgi. In this case an

        [init script](https://github.com/perusio/php-fastcgi-debian-script

        "Init script for php-cgi") is

        required. This is how the server is configured out of the

        box. It uses UNIX sockets. You can use TCP sockets if you prefer.

      

      + [PHP FPM](http://www.php-fpm.org "PHP FPM"), this requires you

        to configure your fpm setup, in Debian/Ubuntu this is done in

        the `/etc/php5/fpm` directory.

        

        Look [here](https://github.com/perusio/php-fpm-example-config) for

        an **example configuration** of `php-fpm`.

        

      Check that the socket is properly created and is listening. This

      can be done with `netstat`, like this for UNIX sockets:

      

          netstat --unix -l

         

      And like this for TCP sockets:   

         

          netstat -t -l

   

      It should display the PHP CGI socket.

   

      Note that the default socket type is UNIX and the config assumes

      it to be listening on `unix:/tmp/php-cgi/php-cgi.socket`, if

      using the `php-cgi`, or in `unix:/var/run/php-fpm.sock` using

      `php-fpm` and that you should **change** to reflect your setup

      by editing `upstream_phpcgi.conf`.

   

   

   5. Create the `/etc/nginx/sites-enabled` directory and enable the

      virtual host using one of the methods described below.



      Note that if you're using the

      [nginx_ensite](http://github.com/perusio/nginx_ensite) script

      described below it **creates** the `/etc/nginx/sites-enabled`

      directory if it doesn't exist the first time you run it for

      enabling a site.    



   6. Reload Nginx:

   

      `/etc/init.d/nginx reload`

   

   7. Check that WordPress is working by visiting the configured site

      in your browser.

   

   8. Remove the `/etc/nginx.old` directory.

   

   9. Done.

   

## Enabling and Disabling Virtual Hosts



   I've created a shell script

   [nginx_ensite](http://github.com/perusio/nginx_ensite) that lives

   here on github for quick enabling and disabling of virtual hosts.

   

   If you're not using that script then you have to **manually**

   create the symlinks from `sites-enabled` to `sites-available`. Only

   the virtual hosts configured in `sites-enabled` will be available

   for Nginx to serve.

   

## Acessing the php-fpm status and ping pages



   You can get the

   [status and a ping](http://forum.nginx.org/read.php?3,56426) pages

   for the running instance of `php-fpm`. There's a

   `php_fpm_status.conf` file with the configuration for both

   features.

   

   + the **status page** at `/fpm-status`;

     

   + the **ping page** at `/ping`.



   For obvious reasons these pages are acessed only from a given set

   of IP addresses. In the suggested configuration only from

   localhost and non-routable IPs of the 192.168.1.0 network.



   The allowed hosts are defined in a geo block in file

   `php_fpm_status_allowed_hosts.conf`. You should edit the predefined

   IP addresses to suit your setup.     

   

   To enable the status and ping pages uncomment the line in the

   `example.com.conf` virtual host configuration file.   

   

   

## Getting the latest Nginx packaged for Debian or Ubuntu



   I maintain a [debian repository](http://debian.perusio.net/unstable

   "my debian repo") with the

   [latest](http://nginx.org/en/download.html "Nginx source download")

   version of Nginx. This is packaged for Debian **unstable** or

   **testing**. The instructions for using the repository are

   presented on this [page](http://debian.perusio.net/debian.html

   "Repository instructions").

 

   It may work or not on Ubuntu. Since Ubuntu seems to appreciate more

   finding semi-witty names for their releases instead of making clear

   what's the status of the software included. Is it **stable**? Is it

   **testing**? Is it **unstable**? The package may work with your

   currently installed environment or not. I don't have the faintest

   idea which release to advise. So you're on your own. Generally the

   APT machinery will sort out for you any dependencies issues that

   might exist.



## My other Nginx configs on github



   + [Drupal](https://github.com/perusio/drupal-with-nginx "Drupal

     Nginx configuration")

     

   + [Piwik](https://github.com/perusio/piwik-nginx "Piwik Nginx

     configuration")

     

   + [Chive](https://github.com/perusio/chive-nginx "Chive Nginx

     configuration")

     

   + [Redmine](https://github.com/perusio/redmine-nginx "Redmine Nginx

     configuration")  



   + [SquirrelMail](https://github.com/perusio/squirrelmail-nginx

     "SquirrelMail Nginx configuration")



## Securing your PHP configuration



   I have created a small shell script that parses your `php.ini` and

   sets a sane environment, be it for **development** or

   **production** settings. 

   

   Grab it [here](https://github.com/perusio/php-ini-cleanup "PHP

   cleanup script").



## Acknowledgments



   Thanks to [Burçe Boran](http://www.burceboran.com) for helping me

   sort out the issues of the configuration for supercache 0.9.9.9.