Switching Between Apache and Nginx Using Terminal and cPanel/WHM in a VPS

Apache and nginx are the two most common web servers on Linux. You can run either one on its own, or put nginx in front of Apache so each does what it is best at. This guide shows how to switch between them safely on a server where you have root access, from the terminal and on a cPanel & WHM server, and explains what changes for your websites when you do.

1. Who this guide is for

Domain India VPS plans are self-managed and don't include cPanel, so the WHM part of this guide applies only to a cPanel server you licence and run yourself.

2. Apache and nginx: what actually changes

The biggest job in any switch is the .htaccess rules. WordPress needs only one line in nginx (try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;), but custom redirects, access rules and caching headers must each be rewritten by hand.

A third option is often the best: nginx in front of Apache. nginx takes the connections and serves static files, Apache behind it keeps reading .htaccess. Section 6 shows how.

3. Before you switch

Both servers want ports 80 and 443. Only one can hold them at a time, which is why the old server must be stopped before the new one starts.

4. Switch from Apache to nginx (terminal)

The commands below are for Ubuntu or Debian, and for AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux. CentOS has reached end of life; use AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux for new servers.

Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo systemctl disable --now apache2
sudo apt install nginx php-fpm
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl enable --now nginx

AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux:

sudo dnf install nginx php-fpm
sudo systemctl disable --now httpd
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl enable --now nginx php-fpm

On Ubuntu, stop Apache before installing nginx, because the package tries to start nginx on port 80 straight away. On AlmaLinux and Rocky, edit /etc/php-fpm.d/www.conf and set user = nginx and group = nginx, then restart php-fpm, so PHP can read files nginx owns.

A basic server block for a PHP site, in /etc/nginx/conf.d/example.conf (Ubuntu also uses sites-available):

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    root /var/www/example.com;
    index index.php index.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include fastcgi_params;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

The PHP-FPM socket path depends on your system: on Ubuntu run ls /run/php/ to find it; on AlmaLinux and Rocky it is usually /run/php-fpm/www.sock. Then reissue SSL with Certbot's nginx plugin (sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com -d www.example.com).

5. Switch back from nginx to Apache

Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo systemctl disable --now nginx
sudo apt install apache2
sudo a2enmod proxy_fcgi setenvif rewrite
sudo a2enconf php8.3-fpm
sudo apachectl configtest && sudo systemctl enable --now apache2

Replace php8.3-fpm with the PHP-FPM version installed on your server.

AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux:

sudo dnf install httpd
sudo systemctl disable --now nginx
sudo apachectl configtest && sudo systemctl enable --now httpd php-fpm

On AlmaLinux and Rocky, php-fpm installs an Apache config that sends .php files to PHP-FPM automatically. Set the php-fpm user and group back to apache if you changed them. Recreate each site as a virtual host in /etc/apache2/sites-available/ (enable with a2ensite) or /etc/httpd/conf.d/, and reissue certificates with certbot --apache.

6. Run nginx in front of Apache

Move Apache to a local port, and let nginx pass requests to it.

1. In Apache, listen only on the local address: Listen 127.0.0.1:8080 (in ports.conf on Ubuntu, httpd.conf on AlmaLinux), and change each virtual host's address to 127.0.0.1:8080.
2. Enable mod_remoteip so Apache logs the visitor's real IP address, not nginx's:

RemoteIPHeader X-Forwarded-For
RemoteIPInternalProxy 127.0.0.1

3. In nginx, proxy to Apache:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

Terminate SSL in nginx. The X-Forwarded-Proto header tells your application the visitor used HTTPS, which stops redirect loops in WordPress and similar apps. On AlmaLinux and Rocky with SELinux enforcing, run sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect 1 so nginx may connect to Apache.

7. On a cPanel & WHM server

cPanel manages Apache through EasyApache 4, and cPanel expects Apache to stay. The supported way to add nginx is cPanel's own NGINX Manager in WHM (the ea-nginx package), which installs nginx as a caching reverse proxy in front of Apache, so .htaccess keeps working. Uninstalling it from the same page returns you to Apache alone.

Third-party add-ons such as Engintron do a similar job; never run one alongside ea-nginx, as both want ports 80 and 443. To change Apache itself (MPM, modules, PHP versions), see EasyApache 4 with CloudLinux.

8. Troubleshooting

• bind() to 0.0.0.0:80 failed (98: Address already in use): the other server is still running. Check with sudo ss -ltnp | grep -E ':80|:443'.
• 502 Bad Gateway: nginx cannot reach PHP-FPM or Apache. Check the socket path or port, and that the service is running.
• PHP files download instead of running: the PHP location block or Apache's PHP-FPM handler is missing.
• Redirect loop after putting nginx in front: the app does not know the visitor used HTTPS; send X-Forwarded-Proto as in section 6.
• Old rewrite rules no longer work: nginx ignores .htaccess. Translate each rule into the server block.

9. Running this on Domain India

On shared hosting, the web server is managed for you. cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo servers run Apache, and on cPanel nginx sits in front of Apache as a cache. You can't switch the server, but .htaccess rules and mod_rewrite work, which covers redirects, clean URLs and access rules. See how to enable mod_rewrite.

On a Domain India VPS you have full root access and choose your own stack. The VPS is self-managed, and cPanel is not offered on VPS. If you want a web server of your own choosing, a VPS is the place to run it:

Prices on the cards are Domain India list prices and exclude 18% GST.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to run your own web server? Compare VPS plans, or read VPS vs shared hosting to decide whether you need one. If you are on shared hosting and a rewrite rule isn't working, open a support ticket.