nginx/status

Check Nginx Status

Display the current running status of the Nginx service.

nginx
service
monitoring
status

Command

sudo systemctl status nginx

Explanation

Checking Nginx’s status helps verify whether the web server is running, stopped, or in a failed state. The `systemctl status` output includes the service’s PID, uptime, recent logs, and resource usage. It’s an essential step in diagnosing availability issues.

Common Use Cases

  • Confirm if Nginx is running after configuration changes
  • Diagnose service crashes or failed startups
  • Monitor uptime and reload events

Best Practices

  • Use `sudo systemctl status nginx -l` for full log output
  • Combine with `journalctl -u nginx` to view recent log history
  • Monitor uptime regularly in production

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Confusing `status` with `reload` or `restart` commands
  • Not running with `sudo`, leading to incomplete info

Troubleshooting

Problem: Status shows failed

Solution: Run `sudo nginx -t` to find syntax errors, then restart the service.

Problem: Service active but site unreachable

Solution: Check firewall rules and Nginx’s listening ports in config.

Examples

Check Nginx status using systemd

sudo systemctl status nginx

Check Nginx status using SysV

sudo service nginx status