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NGINX Compression Vary: Fix Broken Vary Headers


by Danila Vershinin, March 2, 2026

The NGINX compression_vary module replaces the standard gzip_vary directive with smarter Vary header handling. It merges multiple Vary headers into one, removes duplicates, and properly appends Accept-Encoding — preventing CDN cache fragmentation and improving caching efficiency across gzip, Brotli, and Zstandard compression.

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Accept-Encoding Normalization in NGINX for Better Caching


by Danila Vershinin, March 1, 2026

Learn how to normalize Accept-Encoding headers in NGINX to prevent cache variant explosion. The compression-normalize module standardizes client compression preferences, dramatically improving proxy cache hit rates when using Vary: Accept-Encoding.

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NGINX Combined Upstreams: Failover & Sticky Sessions


by Danila Vershinin,

Learn how to merge upstream server pools, implement cookie-based sticky sessions, build multi-cluster failover chains, and broadcast requests across backends using the NGINX Combined Upstreams module. Covers all directives, upstrand configuration, and status variables.

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NGINX Captcha Module: Server-Side CAPTCHA Guide


by Danila Vershinin, February 28, 2026

Learn how to generate and validate CAPTCHA images directly in NGINX without relying on external services like reCAPTCHA. The NGINX captcha module creates server-side CAPTCHA challenges using the GD graphics library, keeping your authentication flows fast, private, and dependency-free.

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NGINX AWS S3 Proxy: Secure Module Guide


by Danila Vershinin, February 26, 2026

Learn how to use the NGINX AWS auth module to securely proxy requests to Amazon S3 without exposing IAM secret keys on your server. This guide covers installation, configuration, signing key rotation, and security best practices for the ngx_aws_auth module.

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NGINX Auth Hash Module: Secure URL Authentication


by Danila Vershinin,

Learn how to protect files and content with the NGINX auth hash module. This module brings SHA-256, SHA-512, BLAKE2, and other modern hash algorithms to NGINX secure URL authentication, replacing the MD5-only limitation of the built-in secure_link module.

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NGINX Array Variables: Split, Map, and Join Data


by Danila Vershinin, February 25, 2026

Learn how to use the NGINX array variables module to split, map, and join data directly in your NGINX configuration. This module adds array-typed variables for powerful list processing, SQL query building, and dynamic data transformation without external scripting.

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NGINX Access Control Module: Variable-Based Rules


by Danila Vershinin,

The NGINX access control module extends native allow/deny directives beyond IP addresses to any NGINX variable. Build flexible access policies using headers, query parameters, geo data, and custom maps — all evaluated at the access phase without resorting to if-statements.

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NGINX CGI Module: Run CGI Scripts in NGINX


by Danila Vershinin, February 24, 2026

Learn how to run traditional CGI scripts in NGINX using the nginx-cgi module. This guide covers installation, configuration, migration from Apache mod_cgi, and practical examples with Bash, Python, and Perl CGI scripts.

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NGINX HTTP-FLV Module: Build a Live Streaming Server


by Danila Vershinin,

Learn how to set up a complete live streaming server with the NGINX HTTP-FLV module. This guide covers installation, HTTP-FLV playback, GOP caching for instant playback, multi-format output (HLS, DASH), stream recording, real-time JSON statistics, access control, and relay for scalable streaming infrastructure.

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