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Chapter 6: Web Servers — Nginx and Apache

6.8 Everyday management commands

Task Nginx Apache (AL2023/CentOS) Apache (Ubuntu)
Test config sudo nginx -t sudo apachectl configtest sudo apache2ctl configtest
Reload (no downtime) sudo service nginx reload sudo service httpd reload sudo service apache2 reload
Restart sudo service nginx restart sudo service httpd restart sudo service apache2 restart
Error log sudo tail -​f /​var/​log/​nginx/​error.​log sudo tail -​f /​var/​log/​httpd/​error_​log sudo tail -​f /​var/​log/​apache2/​error.​log
Access log /​var/​log/​nginx/​access.​log /​var/​log/​httpd/​access_​log /​var/​log/​apache2/​access.​log
Version nginx -v httpd -v apache2 -v
Loaded modules nginx -V httpd -M apache2ctl -M

Always test before reload

Use sudo nginx -t && sudo service nginx reload. The reload runs only if the test passes, so a typo never takes your site down.