Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDeploy a browser-only React application by building its production files, copying the complete output into an Nginx document root, and configuring an Ubuntu server block with try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;. That fallback lets React Router resolve client-side URLs when visitors open or refresh a deep route. Nginx serves static files; it does not run your React source code in production.
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The workflow is: identify the build directory, install and start Nginx, place the output under a directory such as /var/www/example.com/html, enable and test the site, reload Nginx, then verify both the home page and a deep URL through the public hostname. Add a certificate and a TLS-enabled server block before treating the site as production-ready.
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A normal client-rendered React production build is a collection of static files: index.html, JavaScript bundles, CSS, images, fonts, and other generated assets. Nginx maps a URL to those files and returns them over HTTP or HTTPS. After the initial page loads, React executes in the visitor’s browser and React Router handles navigation.
That is different from server-side rendering (SSR), a React framework that renders HTML on demand, or an application with a Node-based API. Those systems have a runtime process. Nginx should proxy requests to that process instead of pretending that its output is a static site.
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| Application type | What Nginx does | What must be running |
|---|---|---|
| Static client-rendered build from a tool such as Create React App or Vite | Serves files directly from the directory in root; falls back to index.html for browser routes |
Nginx only |
| SSR or another React server runtime | Terminates HTTP(S), serves any static assets, and reverse-proxies application requests | The framework’s server process plus Nginx |
| Static React frontend with a separate API | Serves the frontend and can proxy a path such as /api/ to the API service |
Nginx and the API service |
React’s current documentation says, “If you want to build a new app or website with React, we recommend starting with a framework.” That recommendation does not change the static deployment procedure when your chosen project produces browser assets, but it does matter if the framework requires SSR or another server runtime.
Requirements and decisions before you start
- An Ubuntu server or cloud VM with sudo access, a public IP address or public DNS name, and inbound access to the web ports you intend to use.
- A React project that builds successfully on your development machine or in CI.
- A DNS record pointing your domain to the server if you plan to use a domain rather than the server’s public IP or DNS name.
- The exact output directory produced by your build tool. Create React App normally writes to
build/; Vite commonly writes todist/. A custom configuration may use another directory. - A decision about whether this server hosts one site or several. Ubuntu’s standard layout supports a separate server block for each hostname.
Do not copy the project source, node_modules, or development configuration as a substitute for the production output. The document root needs the generated index.html and the asset directories referenced by that file.
1. Create and inspect the production build
Run the command documented by the project. A common npm-based workflow is:
npm ci
npm run buildnpm ci installs the lockfile’s versions in a clean environment. If the project documents a different package manager or build command, use that command instead. The important result is a production directory, not the particular tool used to create it.
Confirm the output directory
After the command completes, inspect the project directory:
ls -la
find build -maxdepth 2 -type f | headUse build/ only when it exists. For a Vite project, substitute dist/ in every later command. The directory should contain an index.html file and generated asset folders or files. If index.html is absent, the build did not finish as expected or you are looking in the wrong directory.
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Check the public base path
If the application will be served at the domain root, asset URLs should normally begin at the root or be relative in the way your tool expects. A project configured for a subdirectory such as /game/ needs its base or public path configured consistently; otherwise the HTML may load while JavaScript and CSS requests point to the wrong URLs. Fix that setting and rebuild before copying files.
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2. Install and start Nginx on Ubuntu
On the Ubuntu server, update package metadata and install Nginx:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginxStart it now and configure it to start at boot:
sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
sudo systemctl status nginxUbuntu organizes site-specific settings in Nginx “server blocks.” The default site normally serves /var/www/html. Dedicated sites are conventionally stored in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ and enabled with a symbolic link in /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/.
If a firewall is enabled, allow the web traffic you need. The exact firewall policy depends on your server, but port 80 is needed for HTTP and certificate validation in many setups; port 443 is needed for HTTPS.
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Create a directory dedicated to the hostname. Keeping each site in its own directory prevents one deployment from overwriting another:
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com/html
sudo rm -rf /var/www/example.com/html/*
sudo cp -R build/. /var/www/example.com/html/Replace build with dist or your project’s actual output directory. The trailing . in build/. copies the contents, including hidden files, so that index.html ends up directly under the document root rather than under an extra build subdirectory.
For a deployment account named deploy, you can transfer ownership of the files while leaving the parent directory controlled by root:
sudo chown -R deploy:deploy /var/www/example.com/html
sudo find /var/www/example.com/html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} ;
sudo find /var/www/example.com/html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} ;If you use a CI runner or a different account, substitute that account. Nginx must be able to traverse every parent directory and read the files. Overly restrictive permissions commonly produce a 403 response; world-writable permissions are unnecessary and undesirable.
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4. Configure an SPA server block
Create a site file:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.comUse this minimal configuration for a single-page application served at the domain root:
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
root /var/www/example.com/html;
index index.html;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
}
}Why each directive matters
listen 80andlisten [::]:80accept IPv4 and IPv6 HTTP connections.server_nameselects this block when the request’s hostname matches. Include only names that actually point to this server.rootis the directory from which Nginx reads the built HTML, JavaScript, CSS, images, and other assets.index index.htmlmakes the root URL resolve to the generated entry document.try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;first serves a real file or directory. If neither exists, it returns the React entry document, allowing the client router to resolve a history-based route.
Without the fallback, a visitor who opens /levels/forest directly or refreshes that URL asks Nginx for a physical directory named levels/forest. Nginx cannot find it and returns 404 even though the React application knows that route.
When you host several sites
Create one server block and one document root per hostname, then enable each file separately. Avoid putting unrelated sites in the default block and avoid copying one site’s assets into another site’s root. Nginx chooses among enabled blocks using the listening address and the request hostname.
5. Enable, validate, and reload the configuration
Enable the site with a symbolic link:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.comIf the default welcome site would otherwise answer the same address, remove its enabled link (only if you no longer need it):
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sudo nginx -tA successful test reports that the syntax is valid and the test succeeded. If it reports an error, the message includes the file and line to inspect. Fix the syntax, a missing semicolon, a misspelled path, or a duplicate/conflicting directive, then run the test again.
Apply a valid configuration without stopping active connections:
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sudo systemctl reload nginxUse sudo systemctl status nginx if the service is not reachable. The Nginx access and error logs are normally available at /var/log/nginx/access.log and /var/log/nginx/error.log; watch them while making a request:
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For a domain deployment, create the appropriate DNS record at your DNS provider: an address record for an IPv4 address, an IPv6 record when you serve IPv6, or the provider’s documented alias when using one. Wait for the record to resolve before treating a browser failure as an Nginx failure. You can check the result with your usual DNS diagnostic tool or by resolving the hostname from a separate network.
Test the server locally or remotely with:
curl -I http://example.com/
curl -I http://example.com/assets/Then open the public hostname or the instance’s public IP/DNS name in a browser. Confirm all of the following:
- The home page displays without a blank screen.
- A generated JavaScript and CSS asset returns a successful response.
- A real application route, such as
/profileor/settings, loads when entered directly. - Refreshing that deep route still returns the application rather than an Nginx 404.
- The browser’s Network panel shows no incorrect asset base paths or missing bundles.
Testing only the home page misses the most common SPA deployment error: a missing history fallback.
7. Add HTTPS for production
HTTP proves that the static deployment works; it does not encrypt traffic. Obtain a certificate from a certificate authority such as Let’s Encrypt for every hostname you will serve. Certificate issuance and renewal are separate from building the React assets.
A TLS server block uses port 443 and the certificate paths supplied by your certificate tooling. The exact filenames depend on the authority and issuance method, but the structure is:
server {
listen 443 ssl;
listen [::]:443 ssl;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
root /var/www/example.com/html;
index index.html;
ssl_certificate /path/to/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /path/to/privkey.pem;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
}
}Once the certificate is working, redirect plain HTTP to HTTPS with a separate port-80 block:
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server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}Keep the certificate’s renewal process enabled and test renewal according to the certificate tool’s instructions. A redirect does not create a certificate; both the certificate files and the TLS listener must be present.
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Apply these changes only after the unmodified static deployment is loading correctly. Each one introduces a policy that can mask a basic path or configuration error.
Compression
Nginx can compress text responses such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, and SVG. Enable gzip in the appropriate Nginx context and limit it to text-like content. Compression is not a substitute for correctly generated assets, and already-compressed images and archives generally gain little.
Cache headers for generated assets
Many React build tools place a content hash in JavaScript and CSS filenames. Those immutable-looking files can receive a long cache lifetime, while index.html should remain comparatively easy to refresh because it points to the current bundle names. If your tool emits stable filenames, use shorter cache lifetimes or an explicit invalidation strategy. A stale HTML file paired with deleted bundles is a common cause of a blank page after deployment.
Security headers
Headers such as a carefully designed Content-Security-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, and a referrer policy can reduce browser-side risk. Add them only after auditing the scripts, styles, fonts, analytics, and API origins your application actually uses. An incorrectly strict policy can block the application and look like a failed build.
Proxying an API under /api/
If the frontend calls an API service, you can keep the browser on one origin and proxy a path to the API process:
location /api/ {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000/;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
}Adapt the upstream address, path-stripping behavior, authentication, timeouts, and WebSocket settings to the API’s documentation. Do not add a proxy block merely because the frontend is built with React; a static app has no Node server to proxy.
Common failures and precise fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Home page is 404 | The wrong directory is in root, or the files were copied one level too deep. |
Run ls -la /var/www/example.com/html and confirm that index.html is directly there. |
| Deep React route returns 404 only on refresh | The location lacks the SPA fallback. | Use try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;, run nginx -t, and reload. |
| HTML loads but JavaScript or CSS is 404 | The build’s base path does not match the URL where it is hosted, or only part of the output was copied. | Inspect the asset URLs in index.html, copy the complete output, and rebuild with the correct base/public path. |
| 403 Forbidden | Nginx cannot read a file or traverse a parent directory. | Check ownership and directory permissions, then read the error log for the exact path. |
| Nginx refuses to reload | Syntax error, missing certificate file, duplicate listener, or invalid directive. | Run sudo nginx -t; fix the reported file and line before reloading again. |
| Browser reaches another site | DNS points elsewhere or a different server block matches the hostname. | Resolve the hostname, inspect enabled links, and verify server_name. |
| Changes do not appear | Old files remain in the document root, a browser/CDN cache is serving them, or HTML points at old bundles. | Replace the complete output, check the Network panel, and review cache headers. |
| API calls fail while the page works | The API process is down, the proxy path is wrong, or the browser is making a cross-origin request. | Check the API service, Nginx proxy logs, upstream URL, and browser console; configure CORS only when a same-origin proxy is not suitable. |
| SSR application shows an empty or incomplete page | The project requires a runtime and was deployed as static files. | Follow the framework’s server deployment instructions and proxy the running process through Nginx. |
Safe update and rollback procedure
For each release, build in a clean workspace or CI environment, verify the output, and transfer the complete directory rather than selectively replacing one bundle. A simple update sequence is:
- Run the documented production build and record whether the output is
build/,dist/, or another directory. - Copy the new output to a temporary release directory under the site, preserving the existing release until verification.
- Check that the new directory contains
index.htmland all referenced assets. - Switch the document-root link or copy the release into the configured root.
- Request the home page and a deep route, then inspect the browser Network panel.
- Retain the previous release until the new one is confirmed; restoring the previous directory provides a fast rollback if the new build is broken.
Nginx configuration changes are separate from asset updates. Whenever you change a server block, run nginx -t before reloading. Rebuilding the React app alone does not require an Nginx reload when the document root and configuration remain unchanged.
Quick Recap
Static serving, runtime proxying, and site layout choices
| Choice | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Static serving | The build produces browser files and no server-side rendering is required. | Simple and efficient, but browser-only; server code and SSR are not available. |
| Runtime proxying | The framework renders on the server, or an API/WebSocket process must receive requests. | Supports server features, but requires process supervision, upstream health checks, and proxy configuration. |
| One server block | One hostname and one application use the VM. | Least configuration, with no isolation between multiple sites because there is only one site. |
| Separate server blocks | Several hostnames or applications share the VM. | Clear roots and host routing, but every block needs its own DNS, TLS names, and maintenance. |
| HTTP only | Short-lived testing on a private or otherwise controlled endpoint. | No transport encryption and unsuitable for normal public production traffic. |
| HTTPS enabled | Any public application, login, API, or user data is involved. | Requires certificate issuance, renewal, and a correct TLS server block. |
Deployment checklist
- The production command completed successfully.
- The output directory was identified rather than assumed.
index.htmland every generated asset are inside the directory named byroot.- The site file is in
/etc/nginx/sites-available/and linked into/etc/nginx/sites-enabled/. - The server block has the correct hostname and
try_filesfallback. sudo nginx -tsucceeds before every configuration reload.- The home page, a generated asset, and a directly opened deep route work through the public endpoint.
- DNS resolves to the intended server.
- HTTPS has a valid certificate, a port-443 block, and an HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect when the site is public.
- Any SSR runtime or API is deployed and proxied separately instead of being treated as static files.
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