How to Install Nginx on Mac

Problem

Installing Nginx on a Mac can seem like a daunting task, especially for those unfamiliar with the terminal or package managers. This guide aims to simplify the process, providing a step-by-step approach to get Nginx up and running on your Mac.

Solution

Step 1: Install Homebrew

If you haven't installed Homebrew yet, you can do so by opening the Terminal and running the following command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Step 2: Install Nginx

Once Homebrew is installed, you can use it to install Nginx. Run the following command in the Terminal:

brew install nginx

Step 3: Start Nginx

After the installation is complete, you can start Nginx by running:

brew services start nginx

Step 4: Verify Installation

To verify that Nginx is running, open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost. You should see the default Nginx welcome page, indicating that Nginx is successfully installed and running.

Step 5: Configure Nginx

The default configuration file for Nginx is located at /usr/local/etc/nginx/nginx.conf. You can edit this file to customize your Nginx setup. Use your preferred text editor to open and edit the configuration file:

nano /usr/local/etc/nginx/nginx.conf

After making changes to the configuration file, restart Nginx to apply the changes:

brew services restart nginx