Nginx (pronounced like “engine-x”) is exactly what it sounds like: the engine behind a large portion of the web. It started as a project to solve the problem of handling thousands of concurrent connections and today powers some of the busiest sites in the world. Nginx operates as both a web server and a reverse proxy, making it a versatile component in modern server environments.

What makes Nginx so popular is its efficiency. Unlike older servers that spawn a new process per connection, Nginx handles thousands of connections using an event-driven model. The result: lower load, faster response times, and happier users. This makes Nginx particularly well-suited for serving static files, load balancing traffic, and acting as a gateway for microservices.

But Nginx isn’t just for sysadmins-developers love it too. With simple configuration, a powerful module ecosystem, and a large community, it’s easy to build solutions for everything from API routing to secure HTTPS delivery. In short: if you want your web presence to feel fast and reliable, Nginx is your server-side best friend.