Configuring Nginx Directory Structure

Understanding the Web Root

Before creating files, it is crucial to understand the distinction between the Default Web Root and the Document Root.

• Default Web Root: Located at /var/www/. This is the top-level directory created when Nginx is installed.
• Document Root: Located at /var/www/yourdomain.com/public_html. This is where your specific site files reside.

Why use public_html?
Isolating your site files inside a public_html subdirectory enhances security. Only files within this folder are accessible via the web server, preventing direct access to system or configuration files located one level up.

Step 1: Installing the 'Tree' Utility

To visualize our directory structure easily, we will install a utility called tree. First, we must update our package list.

Once the system is updated, install the utility:

Step 2: Creating the Directory Structure

We will now create the directories for your domain. We need to navigate to the default web root and create a folder for the domain, followed by the public_html subfolder.

Method A: Step-by-Step Creation

Navigate to the web root and create directories individually:

Method B: The Efficient Way (Recommended)

You can create a parent directory and its subdirectory simultaneously using the -p flag. This is faster and cleaner.

You can verify the structure using the tree command:

Step 3: Managing Directories

During setup, you may need to rename or delete directories. Here is how to handle these operations safely.

Renaming a Directory

If you made a typo (e.g., example.grow instead of example.org), use the move command. Warning: Do not rename directories after configuring Nginx server blocks, as this will break your site.

Deleting Directories

If a directory is empty, use rmdir. If it contains files (like the public_html folder), you must use rm with the recursive force flags.

To remove an empty directory:

To remove a directory and all its contents:

Final Setup Example

For our live example, we are setting up the site expertwp.help. We will create the full path in one command.

Your directories are now ready. The next stage in the process will involve configuring Nginx Server Blocks (Virtual Hosts) to serve content from this new location.