Nginx Development

Core Guidance

When writing or reviewing Nginx configuration:

1. Always consider the directive inheritance model. Child blocks inherit from parent unless they redefine the directive. For example, adding one proxy_set_header in a location block wipes all inherited proxy_set_header directives from the server block.
2. Prefer map over if for conditional logic. if in location context is dangerous and only reliably supports return and rewrite. See references/nginx-gotchas.md for the full list.
3. Always clarify proxy_pass trailing-slash behavior — it is the single most common source of subtle bugs.
4. When writing upstream blocks, always include keepalive configuration and explain connection pooling implications.
5. When writing Nginx directives, always check docs, specifically module references, to verify that a directive actually exists, and what values it accepts (on/off, variable, fixed values, etc).

When advising on performance:

2. Always consider the full request path: client → Nginx → upstream, and tune each segment.
3. Buffer sizing has cascading effects — refer to the buffer tuning section in references/nginx-gotchas.md.

Reference Files