Custom nginx configuration

Some apps need extra web server configuration: WebSockets for real-time features, pretty URLs, larger uploads, redirects or extra headers. On servers running nginx, the site's nginx pane lets you add your own directives to its server block.

Add directives#

1. Open the site and choose nginx.
2. Write your directives in the editor, or start from an example: WebSockets, Pretty URLs, Large uploads, Redirect, Security headers.
3. Click Apply and approve with your passkey.

Before the new configuration goes live, nginx checks it (nginx -t). If the check fails, the previous configuration stays active and the pane says why. Leave the editor empty and apply to remove your directives.

Examples#

WebSockets to an app listening on a local port (Laravel Reverb, Socket.IO…):

location /app {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
    proxy_http_version 1.1;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
    proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
    proxy_read_timeout 3600s;
}

Pretty URLs (every unknown path goes to index.php):

location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}

A redirect and larger uploads:

rewrite ^/old-blog/(.*)$ /blog/$1 permanent;
client_max_body_size 512m;
fastcgi_read_timeout 600s;

What is allowed#

Your directives run inside nginx, which runs as root, so only site-level directives are accepted:

• Allowed: location and if blocks, rewrite, return, try_files, set, error_page, headers (add_header, expires), proxy_* (to http:// or https:// addresses), fastcgi_* for this site's own PHP pool, timeouts, body sizes, gzip, sub_filter, allow/deny, limit_rate.
• Refused: include, root, alias, load_module, embedded languages (Lua, Perl, njs), certificates, log files written elsewhere, proxy_pass to unix sockets — anything that could reach outside the site.

A location / (or @app for app sites) of your own replaces the site's default one, so you can change how unknown paths are handled.

OpenLiteSpeed#

On OpenLiteSpeed servers the nginx pane is not shown: put rewrite rules in the site's .htaccess file, which OpenLiteSpeed reads.