Nginx vs Apache: Which Is the Best Web Server?
In other words, the individuals who developed and oversee WordPress think that everyone should have access to a platform where they can publish the things that are important to them—in the manner of their choice.
Although there are many various kinds of server software, Nginx and Apache are frequently the two remaining competitors. This is so because both provide the best performance for a wide range of server setups and work best for particular applications.
You should still think about which of them is better appropriate for your needs, though. Operating system (OS) support, security, documentation, and (of course) performance are a few of the various areas to consider.
In this article, we'll contrast Nginx vs Apache in a variety of distinct areas. We'll sum up our findings and provide you with the details you need to make the best decision after.
Introducing Nginx and Apache
Let's go through both Nginx and Apache briefly before delving into the specifics of each server type. You'll discover some of the use cases for both when we get to the following section and where you might encounter them "in the wild."
Compared to Apache, Nginx (pronounced “engine X”) is a relative newbie to the world of server-side technology. However, the development team took on the task of expanding upon the limitations of Apache systems.
Many people are interested in this open-source solution because of its scalability and stability. This is duein part, to its event-driven architecture, which will be discussed further below. In fact, handling 10,000 connections at once was one of the objectives for the initial Nginx release. This is something that was required back in 2004 because of how quickly the web was growing at the time.
Sysadmins and site owners generally prefer Nginx because it is fast, works well with static files, and serves as both a load balancer and "reverse proxy". These are all important in terms of speed, security, and uptime.
Apache
The 'old man' of web server technology is Apache. Since 1995, Apache has been the software at the heart of hundreds, if not millions, of servers. This makes it almost as old as the internet itself.
Among "sysadmins," Apache has long dominated the technology landscape. This is due to a variety of factors, some of which are performance-related and others which are merely habits. Apache servers are often used in situations where customizations are important.
All Linux distributions come with Apache pre-installed, making it the default web server for that OS. Although it has a different architecture than Nginx, it still has great documentation, power, and scalability.
Many sysadmins also appreciate how Apache can be customized and how you can personalize a server by loading different modules.
The general use cases for Nginx vs Apache
You could say that Apache is a "jack of all trades" when it comes to serving webpages. This has some mixed blessings, though. Yes, Apache servers can execute almost all of the same functions as Nginx, but at the cost of slower code. Age has a role in this.
The Apache codebase was unable to perform the functions required to serve modern websites because it was created before some of the more sophisticated applications for web servers. Even if these problems aren't necessarily a reason for alarm right now, a solution like Nginx takes the modern web into account.
As a result, Apache excels as a simple-to-configure server for applications like shared hosting. Additionally, because of its integrations, it is frequently used as local development server software in LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) architectures.
Nginx, in comparison, has a more developed software foundation and greater streamlining than Apache. Where stability and security are essential, fundamental components, it's beneficial. Nginx servers are less customizable than other server kinds, therefore you won't touch their core as much.
Additionally, it lacks Apache's level of modularity, making it less appropriate for circumstances when server customisation is required.
Nginx vs Apache: How popular each server type is
Server software used to resemble a one-horse race for a very long period. For many years,Apache ruled the market and continues to have a substantial market share. As a result, there are numerous integrations with and supports for Apache servers, as well as excellent documentation.
This supports the decision to use Apache and encourages its continued use. Nginx, on the other hand, is server software that has a sizable market share of its own. Nginx usage has steadily increased over time, and it is presently, albeit not by much, the market's most dominant web server technology.
In the future, we predict that Apache will be used less frequently because Nginx offers a lot of what system administrators need.
Nginx vs Apache: A technical breakdown of the features and functionality
The technological differences between Nginx and Apache will be discussed in the following sections. We won't be able to cover everything, but we'll give the important topics enough time. In either event, you'll have more than enough information to choose the best software for you because these components serve as the foundation for both sorts of servers.
1.Connection and request handling
Knowing how a server manages connections is crucial since they are its "core currency." It's debatable, but connection handling appears to play a significant role in opinions when people compare the relative benefits of Nginx and Apache.
Nginx
Nginx can handle numerous requests at once and execute them while there are resources available since it is "asynchronous" and "event-driven." It starts 'worker processes' to deal with the incoming connections, of which it anticipates thousands at once. For the rest of the server, these function as the "water carriers."
For instance, each worker process will keep an eye out for other processes' connections and events and add those to a running loop. The server can then process each event and delete it after it is done. The async, non-blocking design and the flow of a Nginx server both naturally scale the system.
Apache
In contrast, Apache uses a number of Multi-Processing Modules (MPMs) to handle events one at a time. There are a few different connection architectures, and a sysadmin will pick the one that is optimal for the job.
A frequent module is mpm_prefork. This only processes one connection at a time and produces child processes for each event. If there are more processes than requests, it would be difficult to distinguish between Nginx and Apache in terms of performance.
This kind of circumstance is uncommon, and an Apache server will frequently see more requests than processes. Additionally, this MPM struggles to scale due to its memory use.
The only risk-free method for PHP developers to use the mod_php interpreter module is mpm_prefork. Despite its shortcomings, if a WordPress developer needs to deploy to an Apache server, they will go with this MPM.
Additionally, you will see the mpm_worker and mpm_event modules. These carry out a comparable function and scale more effectively because they can create numerous processes for each collection of threads.
This group of MPMs demonstrates Apache's adaptability, despite its occasional performance limitations.
Request handling for static vs dynamic content
We should discuss static versus dynamic content for each server program before continuing. You may be alarmed to learn that Nginx is unable to handle dynamic material. In actuality, this kind of material won't be handled natively by Nginx. Instead, it will send it to an outside processor (such a cache) and then hold off on moving the material until it has returned.
A administrator will set up a solution like Memcached for this for development. This strategy has drawbacks, particularly in terms of performance. The advantages to the performance overheads for each link in the chain, however, cancel this out. Nginx can more effectively focus on its areas of responsibility because it doesn't have to worry about handling these requests.
Without requiring additional modules, Apache can process both static and dynamic material thanks to its MPM architecture. Apache integrates a language processor into each worker to handle dynamic content. It's an easy strategy that gets the job done. If you need to change something, you can also swap out modules.
2.Configuring the server
How you configure each server differs between Nginx and Apache, which is one of the more obvious distinctions. Nginx employs a centralized method, thus a user has only one main file through which to setup a server. Although this could appear like a drawback, there are really many benefits:
Global security, which restricts access to the system as a whole, is the responsibility of the server administrator. Performance-wise, centralized servers outperform other kinds. This is because Nginx won't have to deal with requests to examine each directory for configuration files. As a result, there won't be any overrides for the server from various places, significantly reducing the number of requests that must be processed at once.
One way that a layperson will know they use an Apache server is the presence of .htaccess files. These are configuration files that you can add almost anywhere on your server. Apache will check each element of a path for a .htaccess file when a request is made.
This is great for users who want to customize their own area of the server, but it might go horribly wrong if one of the directives compromises security or performance. One of the reasons Apache is utilized for shared hosting is because of its decentralized design. Additionally, it explains why a content management system (CMS) like WordPress performs well on Apache servers.
3.Request interpretation
How Nginx interprets requests is a key distinction between it and Apache that may not be immediately obvious. Briefly stated:
Using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) for each component, Nginx decodes and maps requests. Although Apache can also understand requests using URIs, file-based path structures are more frequently seen.
Apache will use,or blocks to define resources because it is primarily a web server. The important idea is that everything Apache "sees" is connected to the web server, leaving the resource path clear. This is how Apache "visualizes" the server filesystem; picture a document tree.
Nginx, in comparison, may be used as a load balancer, proxy server, and web server, among other things. As a result, in order for Nginx to process requests, they must be sent as URIs. Using server and location blocks, for instance, Nginx first understands the requested host before matching the URI fragments. The entire request is converted to a URI.
A URI is generally more adaptable for Nginx because it can accommodate whatever function it performs. Even yet, as long as Apache merely serves as a web server, the system functions.
Nginx vs Apache: Which one you should choose for your server in 2022
The general response to the question, Which server software should I select? is basic: It depends on which options your hosting company provides. You won't always be given an option. If you wish to choose between Nginx and Apache, you should match the pattern that many web servers use:
Apache is a good choice if you want to host a server that requires constant configuration or if you want to provide users a configuration choice. Nginx is the way to go, though, if you want to offer lightning-fast performance, rock-solid security, and prefer to manage configurations rather than your users.
Because of its innate architecture, Apache can consume more memory when it comes to performance. In circumstances with high traffic, especially when handling a lot of static material, Nginx will perform better.
Nginx may therefore be your best choice if you depend on caching to store and serve content. But keep in mind that Nginx can't provide dynamic content, thus your performance may suffer more, depending on how effective the proxy your server utilizes is.
Conclusion
Running a website and other WordPress features both offer a ton of options, nearly too many. This is the beast's nature. When you need to immediately make your site live, it is useless.
You'll want to exercise extra caution when selecting the type of server you wish to use. Nginx and Apache are frequently compared since both have advantages in particular circumstances.
In our opinion, Nginx is the superior choice for the majority of WordPress users because it can perform better while covering the most ground. This is the reason why several of the well-known, Nginx-only WordPress hosting, like Kinsta and Flywheel, have switched over.
If you don't have a choice, you're safe to use the web server that your host provides because most WordPress sites will function flawlessly on either one.