Chapter 6: Web Servers — Nginx and Apache

6.4 Amazon Linux 2023

By Ravindra Bagale Last updated: 27 September 2026

Quick answer: the short, self-contained version of this lesson is the guide How to Install Nginx on Amazon Linux 2023 (EC2).

Come on, let's install now. Pick the OS of your instance and type these commands with me. Today we start the first web server on Mauli Dairy's Amazon Linux 2023 server.

Nginx on Amazon Linux 2023

sudo yum install -y nginx
sudo service nginx start
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo service nginx status
sudo nginx -t                              # test configuration syntax
curl -I http://localhost                   # expect HTTP/1.1 200 OK
ls /usr/share/nginx/html                   # default web root

Apache on Amazon Linux 2023

sudo yum install -y httpd
sudo service httpd start
sudo systemctl enable httpd
sudo service httpd status
sudo apachectl configtest                  # expect "Syntax OK"
echo "<h1>Apache on Amazon Linux 2023</h1>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/index.html
curl http://localhost

Amazon Linux 2 (older)

On Amazon Linux 2 use sudo yum install -y httpd, and for Nginx sudo amazon-linux-extras install -y nginx1. Everything else (paths, service names) is the same.

Pay attention for security: after a fresh install, the web server shows a default test page and its version in the Server: header. Before the server faces the internet, replace the test page with your own content and hide the version (section 8.8) – default pages make it very easy for attackers to identify the server.

सिक्युरिटीसाठी लक्ष द्या: fresh इन्स्टॉलनंतर वेब सर्व्हर एक default टेस्ट पेज आणि Server: हेडरमध्ये व्हर्जन दाखवतो. सर्व्हर इंटरनेटवर येण्याआधी टेस्ट पेज बदलून स्वतःचा कंटेंट ठेवा आणि व्हर्जन लपवा (section 8.8) – default पेजेसमुळे attackers ना सर्व्हर ओळखायला एकदम सोपं जातं.

सिक्योरिटी के लिए ध्यान दो: fresh इंस्टॉल के बाद वेब सर्वर एक default टेस्ट पेज और Server: हेडर में वर्ज़न दिखाता है. सर्वर इंटरनेट पर आने से पहले टेस्ट पेज बदलकर अपना कंटेंट रखो और वर्ज़न छुपाओ (section 8.8) – default पेजेस की वजह से attackers को सर्वर पहचानना बहुत आसान हो जाता है.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip

When the site doesn't open in the browser after installing, many students start changing the config. First run curl -I http://localhost on the server itself. If you get 200 here but not in the browser, the problem is outside – the security group, typing https, or the wrong IP.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी

Install नंतर browser मध्ये site उघडत नाही म्हणून बरेच students config बदलत बसतात. आधी server वरच curl -I http://localhost चालवा. इथे 200 आला पण browser मध्ये नाही, तर problem बाहेर आहे – security group, https type केलं, किंवा चुकीचा IP.

Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी

Install के बाद browser में site नहीं खुलती तो बहुत से students config बदलने लगते हैं. पहले server पर ही curl -I http://localhost चलाओ. यहाँ 200 आए पर browser में नहीं, तो problem बाहर है – security group, https type कर दिया, या गलत IP.

Lab

Tumchya Amazon Linux instance var Nginx install kara, curl -I http://localhost ne 200 OK aani Server: header bagha. Mag sudo service nginx stop karun Apache install kara, sudo service httpd start kara aani curl http://localhost ne Apache cha page disato ka te confirm kara.