Setting Up Nginx with SSL on Ubuntu for Domain Proxy

This guide will walk you through the steps to install Nginx on an Ubuntu server, set up a domain to proxy to localhost:3000, and install an SSL certificate using Certbot.

Step 1: Update Your Package Index

First, ensure that your package index is up to date:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Nginx

Install the Nginx web server:

sudo apt install nginx

Step 3: Start and Enable Nginx

Start the Nginx service and enable it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 4: Configure Nginx to Proxy Requests

Create a New Configuration File Create a new configuration file for your domain:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com

Add the Following Configuration Add the following content to the file:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name hellomm.com www.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

Enable the Configuration

Create a symbolic link to enable the configuration:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Step 5: Test Nginx Configuration

Test the Nginx configuration for syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

If the test is successful, you will see:

nginx: the configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf syntax is ok
nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful

Step 6: Restart Nginx

Restart Nginx to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 7: Update DNS Records

Ensure that your domain www.yourdomain.com points to the IP address of your Ubuntu server through your domain registrar's control panel.

Step 8: Ensure Firewall Rules Allow HTTP and HTTPS Traffic

If you are using UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall), allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw reload

Step 9: Install Certbot and the Nginx Plugin

Install Certbot and the Nginx plugin:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Step 10: Obtain and Install the SSL Certificate

Run the following command to obtain and install the SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --nginx --non-interactive --keep-until-expiring --renew-with-new-domains --agree-tos --email youremail@gmail.com --no-eff-email --domains yourdomin.com,www.yourdomain.com

Step 11: Verify Certbot Auto-Renewal

Certbot sets up a cron job or systemd timer to renew the certificate automatically before it expires. Test the auto-renewal process:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

If the test is successful, Certbot will renew the certificate automatically as needed.

Final Verification

After following these steps, your domain www.yourdomain.com should be securely proxied to localhost:3000 with an SSL certificate installed and auto-renewal configured.

By following this guide, you have successfully set up Nginx on your Ubuntu server, configured it to proxy requests to localhost:3000, and secured your domain with an SSL certificate using Certbot.