Nginx is a high-performance web server and reverse proxy, widely used for hosting websites and applications. HTTP/2 significantly improves web performance by enabling multiplexing, header compression, and other optimizations. In this guide, we’ll cover how to install Nginx on Ubuntu with HTTP/2 support.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Before installing Nginx, update your package list and system packages to ensure you have the latest software versions.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Nginx

Ubuntu’s default repositories include Nginx, so you can install it using apt:

sudo apt install nginx -y

Once the installation is complete, verify that Nginx is running:

sudo systemctl status nginx

If Nginx is not active, start it with:

sudo systemctl start nginx

Step 3: Enable HTTP/2 Support in Nginx

To enable HTTP/2, modify the Nginx configuration file:

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

Find the following line:

listen 443 ssl;

Modify it to include http2:

listen 443 ssl http2;

Save the changes (CTRL + X, then Y, and Enter).

Step 4: Obtain an SSL Certificate

HTTP/2 requires SSL/TLS, so you need a valid SSL certificate. The easiest way is to use Let’s Encrypt with Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx

Follow the prompts to generate and install the certificate.

Step 5: Restart Nginx and Verify

After enabling HTTP/2, restart Nginx to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Verify that HTTP/2 is working with:

curl -I --http2 https://yourdomain.com

You should see the HTTP/2 response header.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Nginx with HTTP/2 support on Ubuntu. Your website will now benefit from improved performance and faster page loading times. If you need to make further optimizations, consider enabling caching, compression, and fine-tuning your Nginx configuration.