nginx (pronounced engine x) is an HTTP and reverse proxy server, a mail proxy server, and a generic TCP/UDP proxy server, originally written by Igor Sysoev.

This article will show how do a minimal install on windows.

Prepare

check if process is running

First of all, makre sure it is not already installed and/or runing:

1PS C:\Users\user> tasklist /fi "imagename eq nginx.exe"
2INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

Good, now make sure there is nothing listening on port 80:

check if port is free

1PS C:\Users\user> Get-NetTCPConnection -State Listen | `
2>>   Where-Object {$_.LocalPort -eq 80}
3PS C:\Users\user>

download

Official releases can be foudn here: https://nginx.org/en/download.html, get the Mainline version for windows.

After unzipping the archive, you will be presentend with a surprinsingly few files. Whereis the actual axecutable is a statically linked 3.7mb exe called nginx[.exe]:

startting the service is simple, from the command line run nginx and point your browser to http://localhost. You should see a standard welcome page:

controlling the running process: