The reliable NGINX pattern for moving a domain is a dedicated, redirect-only server block for the old hostname. Use an unconditional return 301 https://new.example.com$request_uri; so the destination receives the original path and query string. Keep the destination site in its own virtual server, configure its TLS endpoint separately, test with a temporary status when appropriate, and verify the actual Location header before making a permanent migration.
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What a correct NGINX domain redirect does
A domain redirect is an HTTP response from NGINX, not a rewrite performed by your application. A client requests a URL on the old host, NGINX selects a virtual server using the request’s Host name, and that server returns a redirect response with a Location header. The client then requests the new URL.
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For a straightforward hostname move, the redirect block should do one thing: match the old hostname and send every request to the new hostname. NGINX’s documented conversion guidance describes a separate server for the old name as the right approach. This keeps migration logic out of application code and avoids unnecessary conditional rules.
The basic old-domain-to-new-domain configuration
Place this block in the configuration loaded by NGINX. Replace the example names with the exact hostnames involved in your migration:
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server {
listen 80;
server_name old.example.com;
return 301 https://new.example.com$request_uri;
}listen 80 receives plain HTTP traffic. server_name limits the rule to the old hostname, and return 301 immediately sends a permanent redirect. The $request_uri variable contains the original path and query string, so a request for /docs/setup?edition=2 is redirected to https://new.example.com/docs/setup?edition=2.
Do not replace $request_uri with a bare slash unless the intentional behavior is to send every old URL to the new site’s homepage. Collapsing all paths can strand deep links, bookmarks, search results and links shared by users.
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The old host’s block should not also serve the destination application. A typical apex-to-www arrangement has one redirect block and one block that actually serves the canonical site:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name www.example.com;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/ssl/www.example.com.crt;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/ssl/www.example.com.key;
# application locations...
}Here, example.com is only the old hostname on port 80, while www.example.com is the destination HTTPS site. The destination block needs a certificate whose names cover www.example.com. The private key must be protected, but it must remain readable by the NGINX master process so TLS can start.
Redirecting apex and www consistently
Choose one canonical hostname and redirect the other to it. For a www canonical name:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}
server {
listen 80;
server_name www.example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}If the canonical site also accepts HTTPS requests on the noncanonical hostname, create the equivalent HTTPS redirect block for that hostname, with the certificate needed to complete the TLS handshake before NGINX can issue the redirect. The serving block remains responsible for the canonical name.
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For a non-www canonical name, reverse the names:
server {
listen 80;
server_name www.example.com;
return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}Use exact names when only these two hosts should be redirected. A broad wildcard can capture subdomains that were never meant to move.
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Forcing HTTP to HTTPS
HTTP-to-HTTPS requires two pieces: a port-80 redirect and a separately configured port-443 TLS server. The HTTP block can cover both hostnames when both should end at the same canonical HTTPS host:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}The HTTPS endpoint must be configured independently:
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name www.example.com;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/ssl/www.example.com.crt;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/ssl/www.example.com.key;
# application locations...
}NGINX documentation also shows a form using https://$server_name$request_uri. A literal canonical hostname is often clearer when you are deliberately consolidating apex and www, because it makes the target explicit rather than depending on whichever name was selected for that server.
Do not assume the redirect itself replaces TLS configuration. A browser must establish HTTPS with a certificate that covers the requested destination hostname before it can receive content from that HTTPS server. An incomplete 443 block can therefore produce a certificate warning or handshake failure instead of a clean redirect.
return or rewrite: which directive belongs here?
| Situation | Preferred directive | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Every request in a server goes to one hostname | return |
Direct, readable and does not require a regular expression |
| A location needs a pattern-based URI transformation | rewrite |
Supports conditional or regex-based path changes |
| Temporary testing of a redirect | return 302 or return 307 |
Makes the temporary intent visible in the response |
| Permanent domain migration | return 301 |
Communicates that the old URL has moved permanently |
The return directive is valid in both server and location contexts. For an unconditional domain mapping, placing it at server level lets NGINX answer before application locations are evaluated. A rewrite rule can work, but regex and control flow make a simple hostname redirect harder to inspect and easier to misconfigure.
Choosing 301, 302 or 307
Use 301 when the old domain has permanently moved and you are ready for clients and intermediaries to treat the target as the lasting URL. Use 302 or 307 while testing, during a temporary campaign, or whenever the destination may change back.
| Status | Use it when | Operational caution |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | The domain or canonical hostname has permanently changed | Browsers and intermediaries may cache it, making mistakes difficult to undo quickly |
| 302 | The redirect is temporary or under validation | Do not leave it in place if the move is genuinely permanent |
| 307 | You need a temporary redirect while retaining the request method semantics | Use it deliberately and test clients that submit forms or other non-GET requests |
A redirect is an HTTP response, so verify the status code and Location header directly. Browser behavior alone can hide a stale cached 301 or make a malformed redirect appear to work after several requests.
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How NGINX chooses the virtual server
The server_name directive determines which virtual server receives a hostname. NGINX supports exact names, wildcard names and regular-expression names, and applies documented matching priorities when selecting among them.
Exact names
An exact declaration such as server_name old.example.com; is the clearest choice for a single-domain migration. It limits the redirect to the host you have identified and makes configuration review straightforward.
Wildcards
A wildcard can be appropriate when every matching subdomain is intentionally sent to one destination. It is risky when subdomains have different applications, owners or migration dates. A wildcard that catches an administrative, API or customer-specific hostname can create an unexpected redirect.
Regular expressions and duplicate declarations
Regular-expression names and duplicate or overlapping declarations can make the winning block non-obvious. If a redirect appears to be ignored, inspect all loaded configuration files for another server_name declaration and verify which block is selected for the requested host.
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The safest general-purpose target is the new origin followed immediately by $request_uri:
return 301 https://new.example.com$request_uri;That variable carries both the path and the query string. Examples include:
| Incoming request | Redirect target |
|---|---|
http://old.example.com/ |
https://new.example.com/ |
http://old.example.com/docs/setup |
https://new.example.com/docs/setup |
http://old.example.com/docs/setup?edition=2 |
https://new.example.com/docs/setup?edition=2 |
Only omit the original URI when the migration requirement explicitly says that all requests should converge on one replacement URL. If old and new sites use different path structures, create deliberate, documented path mappings rather than silently discarding the path.
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A safe deployment procedure
- Back up the active configuration. Save the files that define the relevant HTTP and HTTPS servers so you can restore the previous behavior if the redirect is wrong.
- List the exact old hostnames. Decide whether the move covers an apex name,
www, subdomains or only one legacy host. Put only the intended old names in the redirect block. - Add the redirect server. Use an unconditional
returnand append$request_uriunless intentionally collapsing paths. - Confirm the destination TLS server. The destination must have a separate
listen 443 sslserver withssl_certificateandssl_certificate_key. Confirm the certificate names include the destination hostname. - Validate syntax. Run
nginx -tbefore reloading. Treat any syntax or duplicate-name warning as a deployment blocker until you understand it. - Reload using the host’s normal service manager. Use the service-management procedure appropriate to the machine rather than stopping the server unnecessarily.
- Test both schemes and host variants. Check HTTP and HTTPS, apex and
wwwwhere relevant, a representative deep path, a URL with a query string and an unknownHostheader. - Inspect the response itself. Use a client such as
curl -Iand confirm the status, exactLocation, certificate behavior and number of hops.
For example, these checks expose the headers without downloading the response body:
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curl -I https://old.example.com/docs/setup?edition=2
curl -I http://example.com/
curl -I http://www.example.com/Follow a redirect separately when you need to inspect the final endpoint, but first test without automatic following so the original status and Location are visible.
Testing an unknown or unexpected Host
Requests whose host does not match an intended server_name can be handled by a default server. That behavior is separate from the planned domain move and should be deliberate. Test an unknown host independently and confirm that it does not expose the wrong application or redirect arbitrary names to your canonical site.
A broad default redirect may be useful in a controlled environment, but it can also hide DNS mistakes and capture hostnames that should have been rejected. Keep the default policy explicit and document why it exists.
Troubleshooting the common failure modes
Redirect loop
A loop usually means the destination hostname is also matched by the redirect-only block, or an upstream proxy is already forcing HTTPS while NGINX constructs a target with the wrong scheme. Make the old and destination names distinct in their respective blocks, then inspect each hop’s Location header. If a proxy sits in front of NGINX, verify which component terminates TLS and which component is responsible for the redirect.
Path or query string disappears
Check the target expression. A destination ending only in / intentionally sends every request to the root. Use https://new.example.com$request_uri when the old path and query must survive unchanged.
The wrong virtual server answers
Look for a typo, wildcard, duplicate server_name or an unexpected default server. NGINX’s name-selection rules decide which block wins; editing a block that is not selected cannot change the response. Test the exact hostname and inspect the full loaded configuration.
TLS warning after the redirect
The destination certificate may not cover the hostname, or the 443 server may be missing its certificate directives or SNI-compatible configuration. Fix the destination HTTPS endpoint before relying on the redirect. A valid HTTP redirect cannot compensate for a certificate mismatch on the target.
Unexpected hostname capture
An unmatched host may be falling into the default server. Define a deliberate default policy and test it with an unknown host instead of assuming every request will land in the migration block.
Old behavior persists after changing the file
First confirm that NGINX passed nginx -t and was reloaded. Then inspect the response headers directly. If a 301 was previously served, a browser or intermediary may still be using its cached result; validate future changes with a controlled hostname or a temporary status before committing another permanent redirect.
Patterns for common migrations
Old domain to a new domain, preserving everything
server {
listen 80;
server_name old.example.com old.example.net;
return 301 https://new.example.com$request_uri;
}Listing both legacy names is appropriate only when both are intentionally moving to the same destination. If one old name needs a different target, give it its own block.
HTTP and www to one HTTPS canonical host
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}This handles plain HTTP for both names. The canonical www site still needs its separate 443 serving block, and HTTPS requests arriving on a noncanonical name need a certificate-backed redirect block if you want them consolidated as well.
One legacy subdomain to another hostname
server {
listen 80;
server_name legacy.example.com;
return 301 https://new.example.com$request_uri;
}Use the narrowest hostname scope that matches the migration. Do not convert this to a wildcard merely to reduce the number of lines unless every subdomain truly shares the same destination.
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Operational decisions before switching to 301
- Is the move permanent? If not, use 302 or 307 while validating.
- Which host is canonical? Decide apex versus
wwwbefore writing the target. - Should paths survive? Keep
$request_uriunless a root-only destination is intentional. - Does the destination have TLS coverage? The certificate must include the exact HTTPS hostname.
- Could another layer redirect first? Check load balancers, proxies and application-level redirects for conflicting schemes or hosts.
- Can you reverse the change? Keep a backup and remember that permanent redirects may remain cached after configuration is restored.
What to verify in the final response
A successful test should show the status you chose, a single correct Location target for the tested request and a reachable destination. Test a root URL, a deep URL, a query string, each intended hostname and both schemes that users may enter. Count the hops: an old HTTP host that redirects to an intermediate HTTPS host which then redirects to the canonical hostname works, but a direct one-hop mapping is easier to operate and less likely to create loops.
Once those checks pass, the dedicated redirect block provides a small, auditable boundary between the legacy host and the application that now owns the URL.
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