Deploying a Simple HTML Project on Linode Using Nginx: My Journey and Lessons Learned

Deploying web projects can seem intimidating at first, especially when working with a remote server like Linode. Recently, I decided to deploy a simple HTML project ( index.html ) on a Linode server using Nginx. Here’s a detailed account of the steps I took, the challenges I faced, and the solutions I applied.

Step 1: Accessing the Linode Server

The first step was to connect to my Linode server via SSH:

ssh root@<your-linode-ip>

Initially, I encountered a timeout issue , which reminded me to check network settings and ensure SSH access was enabled for my Linode instance. Once connected, I had access to the server terminal and could manage files and services.

Step 2: Preparing the Project

My project was simple—it only contained an index.html file. I uploaded it to the server under:

/var/www/hng13-stage0-devops

I verified the project folder structure with:

ls -l /var/www/hng13-stage0-devops

Since there was no public folder or PHP files, I knew I needed to adjust the Nginx configuration to serve directly from this folder.

Step 3: Setting Up Nginx

I opened the Nginx configuration for my site:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/hng13

Initially, I mistakenly pointed root to a non-existent folder ( public ), which caused a 404 Not Found error. The correct configuration looked like this:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name <your_linode-ip>;

    root /var/www/hng13-stage0-devops;  # points to folder containing index.html
    index index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Step 4: Enabling the Site and Testing

After creating the configuration file, I enabled the site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/hng13 /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

I also removed the default site to avoid conflicts:

sudo rm /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default

Then I tested the configuration:

sudo nginx -t

If the syntax was OK, I reloaded Nginx:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Step 5: Checking Permissions

Nginx must have access to the project files. I ensured the correct permissions:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/hng13-stage0-devops
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/hng13-stage0-devops

Step 6: Viewing the Site

Finally, I opened my browser and navigated to

http://<your-linode-ip>

And there it was—my index.html page served perfectly via Nginx.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

1. Nginx server_name Error
   • Error: "server_name" directive is not allowed here
   • Lesson: Always place server_name inside a server { ... } block.
2. 404 Not Found
   • Cause: Nginx was pointing to a public folder that didn’t exist.
   • Solution: Update root to the folder containing index.html .
3. Permissions Issues
   • Nginx could not read files initially.
   • Solution: Ensure ownership by www-data and proper read/execute permissions.
4. SSH Timeout / Connection Issues
   • Double-check firewall rules and Linode network settings.

Key Takeaways

• For static HTML projects, Nginx is simple and effective.
• Always check the root folder matches your project structure.
• Testing the Nginx config ( nginx -t ) before reload saves headaches.
• Proper permissions are crucial for serving files correctly.

Deploying my project was a learning experience. Even small mistakes like pointing to the wrong folder or placing directives in the wrong context can break the site—but step-by-step debugging and understanding the errors helped me fix everything quickly.This has kick started my devOps journey and I truly loved the challenge