[jimjag]

How much of nginx's growth is, do you think, due to it being "better" than Apache httpd (which it isn't, BTW. Apache 2.4 is easily as fast and scalable as nginx), compared to either (1) The aggressive sales and marketing of NGINX the company or (2) nginx fronting Apache httpd and thus "hiding" the growth of Apache httpd usage. But there are lots of Apache httpd haters, for some reason, and so they LOVE promoting the FUD. And yeah, I am an admitted Apache fanboy so feel free to ignore my viewpoint if it shatters your world-view :)

[CalRobert]

I started needing to configure web stuff about 6 or 7 years ago. At the time, I could use nginx or Apache. I spent a bit of time (maybe 20 minutes) with Apache since I'd heard of it, thought "Ugh this is a pain and I just want to move on to the fun parts of this project and not banal config details", and then tried nginx. It was much easier, and I've never bothered to learn Apache. To be honest I've kind of assumed it wasn't worth learning since it seems to be in slow, but persistent, decline, and I've never needed to learn it for a particular project.

I wonder if anyone else had a similar experience. If the first 20 minutes are nicer with one tool over the other, I suspect most people will stick with that tool until it starts limiting them.

I don't think any of the stuff you mention is related to that.

[GlennS]

I've had the experience in the reverse order, but with the same conclusion.

First lot of web server configuration I had to do was Tomcat. After that, IIS 6 through to 8.

Compared to any of those those, writing Apache httpd config actually seems pretty straightforward.

But yeah, Nginx is a lot plainer and I pick it most of the time. Usual time when I don't is if deploying someone else's software with complicated rules and don't have the time to port them.

Damn Tomcat config is godawful gibberish. Seems to be a running theme in Javaland.

[merpnderp]

This was exactly my experience. I learned Apache and knew how to configure it. But once I tried Nginx I never wanted to fuss with an Apache config again.

[Sir_Substance]

>How much of nginx's growth is, do you think, due to it being "better" than Apache httpd

If I were to take a guess based on my own experience, I'd say hobbyists and teenage experimenters are increasingly using nginx over apache because nginx configs are considerably easier to understand.

Over time, that is slowly translating to increased use in production environments as these people move into the workforce and apply their skills to production grade services.

[Sir_Cmpwn]

It's not all about performance and scalability. Nginx is better, imo, because it has a better design and configuration.

[jimjag]

How so? I agree that httpd's configuration language is "unique" but it is logical and easy to understand. And httpd's design is modular as the start, supporting dynamic modules LONG before nginx ever did, plus supporting various MPM mode, including prefork, threaded and event-based. So you can pick the right functionality and modules for your environ and use case? Maybe 10 years ago nginx had a "better design" but far, far from the situation today.

[innocenat]

I would guess that so many people move before Apache 2.4, or in early day of 2.4, and they did not look back. And with them, all new site, or old site with pre-2.4, get upgraded toward nginx.