Dealing with errors in nginx can be a frustrating experience if nginx isn’t configured correctly.
Sadly, the default value for error log is less than optimal, and some of the tricks to getting information from nginx are not obvious.
This post is intended to be a reference for the tools nginx provide and how to configure them; as well as a general guide on what’s important when facing issues in nginx.
Knowing the basics is the most important part to understanding the more difficult issues.
Don’t skip basic nginx syntax or how an nginx request flows. Once you understand these concepts the non-error issues become far more tangible to work with.
The Error Log
For issues where there’s an error involved, having nginx configured correctly is absolutely essential. The