Build an nginx server block
Compose location blocks, rewrites, redirects, and proxy_pass directives with sensible defaults. Force HTTPS toggle included.
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name example.com;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
server {
listen 443 ssl http2;
listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
server_name example.com;
root /var/www/html;
index index.html;
location ~ ^/old/(.*)$ {
return 301 /new/$1;
}
location /api/ {
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;
}
}How to build nginx blocks
Each rule becomes a location or rewrite directive in a single server block. Proxy rules add the standard X-Forwarded-* headers.
- 01
Set server_name
The host this block answers for. Multiple hosts go in one space-separated list.
Lookups reference the IANA registries (MIME, HTTP status, TLDs) bundled at build time — no live network calls, no rate limits, no leaked queries.
hostIANAregistryofflineliveserver_name · queryhost · IANAexample.com
loaded · IANA bundlespec · ready - 02
Toggle force-HTTPS
Adds a second port-80 server that 301-redirects to the HTTPS variant.
Builders emit canonical syntax per the relevant RFC (9110 for HTTP, 5322 for headers, 3986 for URLs) so the output passes spec-compliant parsers.
tlsRFC 9110canonicalspec-compliantlivessl · options443 · livereturn 301 https://...
options applied · livecanonical - 03
Add rules
redirect / rewrite / proxy_pass — pick what you need.
Validation flags common pitfalls — uppercase header names, smart quotes inside
Content-Type, missing;charset=utf-8— before they bite production.rulesvalidationlintpitfallsliverules · looked uptype · readylocation · rewrite
result · livevalidated - 04
Copy + deploy
Test with
nginx -tbefore reloading.Copy writes the snippet directly into your clipboard; downloads emit the right extension and MIME so curl/httpie pick them up correctly.
deployclipboardMIME-correctblobcurl-readyok · copiedready · donenginx -t && reload
shipped · ready to shipsuccess
Web-spec details that bite later
Idempotency saves retries
POST/PUT/DELETE should be safely retried. Use idempotency keys and return the same response on duplicate requests.
Match RFC 9110 status codes
Don’t invent codes. 422 for validation errors, 409 for conflicts, 429 for rate limits. Standard codes work with off-the-shelf clients.
Set <code>Cache-Control</code> deliberately
Default browser caching is conservative. Use max-age + stale-while-revalidate for hot endpoints.
Validate Open Graph in dev
OG tags break silently. Use a previewer like OG Generator + Facebook’s debugger before launch.
CORS is a server concern
The browser sends the preflight; the server decides. Wildcard origins disable credentials — be explicit.
MIME drives behaviour
Servers must send the right Content-Type. Browsers sniff but the spec says they shouldn’t — be explicit to avoid surprises.
When to write nginx blocks
Reverse proxy, redirects, edge config.
Reverse proxy to app
Front your Node/Python app with nginx on port 443. Bundled from IANA registries at build time — no live network call, no rate limit, no leaked queries. The MIME, TLD, and status-code tables are baked in so the tool works offline once loaded.
spec-compliantStatic + API split
Serve static files, proxy /api to a backend. Output is canonical per the relevant RFC (9110 for HTTP, 5322 for headers, 3986 for URLs), so spec-compliant parsers accept it as-is. Cross-browser and cross-library behaviour stays consistent.
offlineBulk redirects
Migrate URLs without touching application code. Pairs with the curl-to-fetch converter for end-to-end test stubs — copy the curl from DevTools, paste, get an idiomatic fetch() body. Drop into Playwright/Vitest fixtures without manual translation.
IANA-backedForce HTTPS
Drop the canonical http→https redirect once. Catches common pitfalls (uppercase header names, smart quotes inside Content-Type, missing ;charset=utf-8) before they bite production. Validation flags rather than auto-corrects so you stay in control.
RFC-alignedA/B routing
Send a percentage of traffic to a new backend. Validation runs as you type — copy only when the output is shaped correctly. The output drops directly into nginx, Apache, or CDN configs without re-formatting or re-quoting.
production-gradeMulti-tenant edge
One nginx, many server blocks per host. Same input plus same options always produces identical canonical output, so the tool is safe to embed in CI scripts that diff against expected configs.
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