Webserver

Description

This Ansible role installs and configures NGINX as a core HTTP/stream server on Arch Linux systems. It provides:

  • HTTP serving with MIME types, gzip compression, caching, and custom NGINX.conf templating.

  • TCP/UDP stream support via the NGINX Streams module.

  • Directory management for configuration, sites-available/enabled, cache, and data.

  • Debugging helpers: log formats and instructions for general and detailed troubleshooting.

Overview

This role installs and configures Nginx HTTP and stream modules with performance-tuned defaults.

Cosmos

The diagram places Webserver in the Infinito.Nexus cosmos: the components it deploys (capabilities), the central services it consumes (dependencies), and its outward reach (federation and bridged external networks).

flowchart LR
    subgraph role [sys-svc-webserver-core 💻]
        svc_svc_webserver_core["svc-webserver-core"]
    end

Solid 1:1 edges are fixed relationships; dashed 0..1 edges are conditional (enabled only in matching deployments); red 0..0 edges are turned off in this role. Node markers show the role’s deploy modes (💻 host, 🐳 compose, 🐝 swarm); ❌ marks a service that is explicitly turned off, and ⚙️ an Ansible role dependency declared in meta/main.yml.

Features

  • Package installation of NGINX and NGINX-mod-stream.

  • Idempotent setup: tasks run only once per host.

  • Configurable reset and cleanup modes to purge and recreate directories.

  • Custom NGINX.conf template with sensible defaults for performance and security.

  • Stream proxy support: includes stream block for TCP/UDP proxies.

  • Cache directory management: cleanup and recreation based on MODE_CLEANUP.

Debugging Tips

  • General logs: journalctl -f -u NGINX

  • Filter by host: journalctl -u NGINX -f | grep "{{ inventory_hostname }}"

  • Enable detailed format: set MODE_DEBUG: true and reload NGINX.

  • Redacted request path: both access log formats write the path without query string, Referer or basic-auth user. Path segments after a password-reset, e-mail confirmation, e-mail login or account activation route (e.g. /password/reset/, /confirm-email/) are written as [redacted]; extend the $infinito_access_log_path map in nginx.conf.j2 for further token routes.

Credits

Implemented by Kevin Veen-Birkenbach. Part of the Infinito.Nexus Project and maintained by Kevin Veen-Birkenbach. Licensed under the Infinito.Nexus Community License (Non-Commercial).