How to add Nginx as a system service

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How to add Nginx as a system service

In this section, we will create a script that converts the Nginx daemon to actual system services. This has two functions: the daemon can be controlled using standard commands, and more importantly, it can be automatically started when the system is started and stopped when the system is shut down.
Nginx download

System V scripts

Most Linux-based operating systems use the System-V style init daemon. In other words, their startup process is managed by a daemon called init.
This daemon runs on the principle of runlevel, which represents the state of the computer. Here is a table representing various run levels:
Runlevel State
0 System is halted
1 Single-user mode (rescue mode)
2 Multiuser mode, without NFS support
3 Full multiuser mode
4 Not used
5 Graphical interface mode
6 System reboot

About init script

An init script (also known as a service startup script or even a sysv script) is a shell script that meets certain standards. The script controls the daemon application through commands such as start, stop, and others. First, when the computer starts, the init daemon will run the script using the start parameter. Another possibility is to execute the script manually from the shell:
[root@example.com ~]# service nginx start
Or if your system does not have a service command:
[root@example.com ~]# /etc/init.d/nginx start

Nginx init script

/etc/init.d/nginx:

Debian-based distribution

[pastacode lang=”markup” message=”” highlight=”” provider=”manual”]

#! /bin/sh
 
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          nginx
# Required-Start:    $all
# Required-Stop:     $all
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: starts the nginx web server
# Description:       starts nginx using start-stop-daemon
### END INIT INFO
 
PATH=/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
DAEMON=/opt/sbin/nginx
NAME=nginx
DESC=nginx
 
test -x $DAEMON || exit 0
 
# Include nginx defaults if available
if [ -f /etc/default/nginx ] ; then
        . /etc/default/nginx
fi
 
set -e
 
case "$1" in
  start)
        echo -n "Starting $DESC: "
        start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile /var/run/nginx.pid \
                --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
        echo "$NAME."
        ;;
  stop)
        echo -n "Stopping $DESC: "
        start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --pidfile /var/run/nginx.pid \
                --exec $DAEMON
        echo "$NAME."
        ;;
  restart|force-reload)
        echo -n "Restarting $DESC: "
        start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --pidfile \
                /var/run/nginx.pid --exec $DAEMON
        sleep 1
        start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile \
                /var/run/nginx.pid --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
        echo "$NAME."
        ;;
  reload)
      echo -n "Reloading $DESC configuration: "
      start-stop-daemon --stop --signal HUP --quiet --pidfile /var/run/nginx.pid \
          --exec $DAEMON
      echo "$NAME."
      ;;
  *)
        N=/etc/init.d/$NAME
        echo "Usage: $N {start|stop|restart|force-reload}" >&2
        exit 1
        ;;
esac
 
exit 0

[/pastacode]

Red Hat-based distribution

[pastacode lang=”markup” message=”” highlight=”” provider=”manual”]

#!/bin/sh
#
# nginx - this script starts and stops the nginx daemon
#
# chkconfig:   - 85 15
# description:  NGINX is an HTTP(S) server, HTTP(S) reverse \
#               proxy and IMAP/POP3 proxy server
# processname: nginx
# config:      /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
# config:      /etc/sysconfig/nginx
# pidfile:     /var/run/nginx.pid
 
# Source function library.
. /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions
 
# Source networking configuration.
. /etc/sysconfig/network
 
# Check that networking is up.
[ "$NETWORKING" = "no" ] && exit 0
 
nginx="/usr/sbin/nginx"
prog=$(basename $nginx)
 
NGINX_CONF_FILE="/etc/nginx/nginx.conf"
 
[ -f /etc/sysconfig/nginx ] && . /etc/sysconfig/nginx
 
lockfile=/var/lock/subsys/nginx
 
make_dirs() {
   # make required directories
   user=`$nginx -V 2>&1 | grep "configure arguments:" | sed 's/[^*]*--user=\([^ ]*\).*/\1/g' -`
   if [ -z "`grep $user /etc/passwd`" ]; then
       useradd -M -s /bin/nologin $user
   fi
   options=`$nginx -V 2>&1 | grep 'configure arguments:'`
   for opt in $options; do
       if [ `echo $opt | grep '.*-temp-path'` ]; then
           value=`echo $opt | cut -d "=" -f 2`
           if [ ! -d "$value" ]; then
               # echo "creating" $value
               mkdir -p $value && chown -R $user $value
           fi
       fi
   done
}
 
start() {
    [ -x $nginx ] || exit 5
    [ -f $NGINX_CONF_FILE ] || exit 6
    make_dirs
    echo -n $"Starting $prog: "
    daemon $nginx -c $NGINX_CONF_FILE
    retval=$?
    echo
    [ $retval -eq 0 ] && touch $lockfile
    return $retval
}
 
stop() {
    echo -n $"Stopping $prog: "
    killproc $prog -QUIT
    retval=$?
    echo
    [ $retval -eq 0 ] && rm -f $lockfile
    return $retval
}
 
restart() {
    configtest || return $?
    stop
    sleep 1
    start
}
 
reload() {
    configtest || return $?
    echo -n $"Reloading $prog: "
    killproc $nginx -HUP
    RETVAL=$?
    echo
}
 
force_reload() {
    restart
}
 
configtest() {
  $nginx -t -c $NGINX_CONF_FILE
}
 
rh_status() {
    status $prog
}
 
rh_status_q() {
    rh_status >/dev/null 2>&1
}
 
case "$1" in
    start)
        rh_status_q && exit 0
        $1
        ;;
    stop)
        rh_status_q || exit 0
        $1
        ;;
    restart|configtest)
        $1
        ;;
    reload)
        rh_status_q || exit 7
        $1
        ;;
    force-reload)
        force_reload
        ;;
    status)
        rh_status
        ;;
    condrestart|try-restart)
        rh_status_q || exit 0
            ;;
    *)
        echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|try-restart|reload|force-reload|configtest}"
        exit 2
esac

[/pastacode]

Pay attention to modify the Nginx path in the script.

Active Nginx init script

Add execute permission:
[root@example.com ~]# chmod +x /etc/init.d/nginx
Debian-based distribution
[root@example.com ~]# update-rc.d -f nginx defaults
Red Hat-based distribution
[root@example.com ~]# chkconfig nginx on

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