To run a WordPress website, you need to host it on a web server. This is what enables web browsers to request your site\u2019s data. However, there are several web server options, which can make choosing one a daunting task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While there are many web servers to choose from, Apache<\/a> and NGINX<\/a> are the most popular options. But which of the two is the best web server?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These two web servers handle over 50%<\/a> of all web traffic. While they share many qualities, there are differences you need to know about that can help you choose the right one for your site. In this article, we\u2019ll discuss the differences between NGINX and Apache. We\u2019ll then look at how you can install WordPress on both types of servers. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we mentioned earlier, NGINX and Apache are the most prominent web server options. They can handle diverse workloads and work with other software to form LAMP and LEMU stacks<\/a>. However, in order to accurately compare these web servers, you\u2019ll need to understand how they differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apache is the older of the two servers, and was first released and developed by the Apache Software Foundation in 1995 by Robert McCool. Since 1996 Apache has been the top web server, and it is used by approximately 38.7%<\/a> of websites. Currently, the Apache Foundation continues to release versions for Apache.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Apache module provides a range of benefits, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Apache server is a user-friendly web server with lots of customization features. The software is also compatible with Unix and Windows servers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NGINX was released in 2004 by Igor Sysoev, found of NGINX Inc., to solve the C10K problem<\/a>. This is the challenge web servers face when handling 10,000 or more concurrent connection requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To solve this, NGINX was developed as an asynchronous, non-blocking, and event-based architecture. This is one of the primary differences between NGINX and Apache. It is also one of the reasons why approximately 32.1% of websites use NGINX<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many other benefits that NGINX provides, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n NGINX and NGINX Plus are often seen as better options for high-traffic websites because of its load balancing capabilities to handle heavier loads. It\u2019s also ideal for maintaining top performance on sites with a lot of static web content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While NGINX and Apache HTTP Server are similar, there are many differences between the two. The biggest distinction is the way these web servers handle multiple client requests. Apache uses a forked solution, while NGINX uses a non-blocking event loop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apache provides Multi-Processing Modules<\/a> (MPMs) that dictate how request handling works. The forked approach makes swapping out connection handling architecture easier. The modules used in this approach are additions to the core functionality of Apache. Each Multi-Processing Module starts a different process for handling server requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One example is mpm-worker<\/em> \u2013 a module that creates processes handling multiple threads. Each thread is a single connection to the server. Adding this module allows scaling of the server and enables the management of large amounts of traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NGINX is different and spawns only worker processes for simultaneous request handling. These processes are non-blocking events that continuously check for and process multiple requests. This continuous checking creates a loop. All events in the loop are asynchronous and are removed from the loop when the connection closes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Apache and NGINX work well with WordPress hosting<\/a>. However, NGINX might be the better option if you want improved performance. Let\u2019s take a look at how to install WordPress on both types of servers, so you\u2019ll be ready to get started with either one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To install WordPress on Apache, you will need to set up a LAMP (Linux<\/a>, Apache, MySQL<\/a>, and PHP<\/a>) stack. This is generally done on an Ubuntu server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To create a user, log into your server as the root user<\/a>. Then use the add user<\/em> command below to create a new account:<\/p>\n\n\nComparing performance: NGINX vs Apache<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Apache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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NGINX<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Differences between Apache vs NGINX<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the best WordPress web server software?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to install WordPress on Apache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Create a sudo user on your server<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
$ adduser username<\/code><\/pre>\n\t