NGINX: try_files with $uri example

In my previous post, I explained how to use try_files directive. You can use try_files directive with NGINX variables.

For example, NGINX variable $uri represent current URI in request. Let’s use $uri with try_files.

Note

The value of $uri may change during request processing, e.g. when doing internal redirects, or when using index files.

Step 1: Create a folder welcome under root folder.

Create files greet.txt and hello.txt.

greet.txt

Have a good day

hello.txt

Hello, welcome to NGINX Web server

$ls /welcome
greet.txt	hello.txt
$
$cat /welcome/greet.txt 
Have a good day
$
$cat /welcome/hello.txt 
Hello, welcome to NGINX Web server

Step 2: Update nginx.conf file like below.

nginx.conf

events {
    
}


http {
    include mime.types;

    server {
        listen 9090;

        server_name localhost;

        root /welcome;

        try_files $uri /greet123.txt /hello.txt /not_found;

        location = /about{
            return 200 "Hello Welcome to NGINX";
        }

        location = /not_found{
            return 404 "File can't be found";
        }
    }
}

Step 3: Validate and reload the configurations.

$sudo nginx -t
nginx: the configuration file /usr/local/etc/nginx/nginx.conf syntax is ok
nginx: configuration file /usr/local/etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful
$
$sudo nginx -s reload

Open the url ‘http://localhost:9090/greet.txt’, you will get below screen.

Open the url 'http://localhost:9090/notExist', since notExist end point is not exist, data from hello.txt is served.

Let’s rename hello.txt to hello_renamed.txt.

$mv /welcome/hello.txt /welcome/hello_rename.txt
$
$ls /welcome/
greet.txt       hello_rename.txt

Open the url 'http://localhost:9090/notExist', you will get ‘File can't be found’ message.

Previous                                                    Next                                                    Home