content.md 2.3 KB
What is Nginx?
Nginx (pronounced "engine-x") is an open source reverse proxy server for HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, POP3, and IMAP protocols, as well as a load balancer, HTTP cache, and a web server (origin server). The nginx project started with a strong focus on high concurrency, high performance and low memory usage. It is licensed under the 2-clause BSD-like license and it runs on Linux, BSD variants, Mac OS X, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, as well as on other *nix flavors. It also has a proof of concept port for Microsoft Windows.
How to use this image
hosting some simple static content
docker run --name some-nginx -v /some/content:/usr/share/nginx/html:ro -d nginx
Alternatively, a simple Dockerfile can be used to generate a new image that includes the necessary content (which is a much cleaner solution than the bind mount above):
FROM nginx
COPY static-html-directory /usr/share/nginx/html
Place this file in the same directory as your directory of content ("static-html-directory"), run docker build -t some-content-nginx ., then start your container:
docker run --name some-nginx -d some-content-nginx
exposing the port
docker run --name some-nginx -d -p 8080:80 some-content-nginx
Then you can hit http://localhost:8080 or http://host-ip:8080 in your browser.
complex configuration
docker run --name some-nginx -v /some/nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf:ro -d nginx
For information on the syntax of the Nginx configuration files, see the official documentation (specifically the Beginner's Guide).
Be sure to include daemon off; in your custom configuration to ensure that Nginx stays in the foreground so that Docker can track the process properly (otherwise your container will stop immediately after starting)!
If you wish to adapt the default configuration, use something like the following to copy it from a running Nginx container:
docker cp some-nginx:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf /some/nginx.conf
As above, this can also be accomplished more cleanly using a simple Dockerfile:
FROM nginx
COPY nginx.conf /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
Then, build with docker build -t some-custom-nginx . and run:
docker run --name some-nginx -d some-custom-nginx