alexazhou/verynginx

VeryNginx is a layer built on top of Nginx (using the OpenResty extension) that adds a web-based control panel, request statistics, and a customizable firewall. Instead of editing nginx configuration files by hand, you manage rules and settings through a browser dashboard. The core concept is a system of Matchers and Actions. A Matcher is a rule that selects incoming requests based on conditions like the client IP address, the host, the URI, the user agent, the referrer, or query parameters. An Action then runs on any request the Matcher selects. Available actions include redirecting requests, rewriting URIs internally, locking the scheme to HTTPS, verifying that a visitor is a real browser rather than a bot, rate-limiting requests, or blocking them entirely. The blocking action forms the firewall layer. VeryNginx ships with preset filter rules that block common attacks like SQL injection, directory traversal, and access to hidden files like .git directories. The dashboard also shows real-time statistics about Nginx operation: requests per second, average response time, bandwidth, and TCP connection count. For each URI, VeryNginx can track total request counts broken down by HTTP status code, bytes transferred, and average response time. Installation runs through a Python script that downloads and compiles OpenResty automatically, so you do not need to set up Nginx separately. After installation, the control panel is accessible at /verynginx/index.html with default credentials. Configuration changes saved in the dashboard take effect immediately without restarting Nginx. A Docker image is also available for containerized deployments. VeryNginx stores all its configuration in a single JSON file. Deleting that file resets everything to defaults, which can recover access if you accidentally lock yourself out.