Once you have created and successfully tested your NGINX Templates, the next step is to apply them to your web applications.

RunCloud gives you the flexibility to apply an NGINX Template during the initial creation of a new Web Application, or assign it to an existing Web Application at any time.

Here is how to deploy and manage your templates on your web applications.

Method A: Applying a Template During Web App Creation

If you’re spinning up a new website and want it to inherit your standardized NGINX rules immediately, you can apply a template directly from the deployment screen.

Step 1: In the RunCloud dashboard, navigate to the Web Applications menu and click Deploy New Web App.

Step 2: Fill out your Web Application details as usual (Web App Name, Domain Name, User, etc.).

Step 3: Scroll down to the Basic Settings and Stack section.

Step 4: Ensure your Web Application Stack is set to an NGINX-based stack.

Step 5: Look for the NGINX Template (Optional) dropdown menu. Click it and select your desired template from your workspace.

Step 6: Finish configuring any remaining settings and click Deploy Web App. RunCloud will automatically provision the application and apply your selected NGINX Template configurations simultaneously.

Method B: Applying a Template to an Existing Web App

You can easily apply a new template to a Web Application that is already running on your server.

Step 1: Navigate to the Web Applications menu and select the Web App you want to modify.

Step 2: In the left-hand menu of the Web App dashboard, click on NGINX Config.

Step 3: Click the Install Template button on the right side of the screen.

Step 4: A modal will appear. Use the dropdown menu to search for and select the template you want to apply. A preview of the configuration file(s) inside the template will be displayed.

Step 5: Click Install Template.

RunCloud will perform a final syntax check here.

  • If the template contains errors, the installation will fail and display an error log.
  • If the syntax is valid, the template will be successfully installed and immediately active in your Web App.

Managing Installed Templates: Detach vs. Delete

Once a template is successfully installed in a Web Application, it will appear in the Installed Templates tab. From here, you have two primary actions you can take to manage it: Detach and Delete.

It is very important to understand the difference between these two actions, so you don’t accidentally break your live site.

1. Detaching a Template

If you click the Detach button, RunCloud will break the connection between this Web App and the master Template.

  • What happens to the config? The NGINX configuration files remain active on your Web Application. Your website will continue to function as it did.
  • What changes? Because the app is no longer linked to the master Template, any future updates you make to the master Template will not be propagated to this Web Application. It becomes a standalone, manual configuration.

2. Deleting a Template

If you click the Delete icon (the trash can), RunCloud will completely remove the template from the Web Application.

  • What happens to the config? The actual NGINX configuration files associated with this template will be permanently removed from the server for this Web App.
  • When to use this: Only use this if you want to strip these NGINX rules from your website entirely (for example, removing a strict security header template that is causing issues with an app).

If you have any other questions or need help, please feel free to get in touch with our 24/7 support team. We’re here to help!