> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://appseed.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://appseed.gitbook.io/docs/content/what-is/nginx.md).

# What IS Nginx

Short introduction to Nginx

Nginx (pronounced "engine X", /ˌɛndʒɪnˈɛks/ EN-jin-EKS) (stylized as NGINX or NginX) is a web server that can also be used as a reverse proxy, load balancer, mail proxy, and HTTP cache. Nginx is free and open-source software, released under the terms of a BSD-like license. A large fraction of web servers uses **NGINX** often as a load balancer.

### Features

* Nginx can be deployed to serve dynamic HTTP content on the network using FastCGI, SCGI handlers for scripts, WSGI application servers, or Phusion Passenger modules, and it can serve as a software load balancer.
* Nginx uses an asynchronous event-driven approach, rather than threads, to handle requests. Nginx's modular event-driven architecture can provide more predictable performance under high loads.
* Nginx default configuration file is `nginx.conf`

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### Links

* [Nginx](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nginx) - the Wikipedia page