When working with Nginx, it’s common to encounter the 413 “Request Entity Too Large” error. This error occurs when the size of the request body sent by the client (such as a file uploaded to the server) exceeds the value specified in the “client_max_body_size” directive in the Nginx configuration file. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what causes this error and how to resolve it.
Understanding the 413 “Request Entity Too Large” Error
Nginx is a powerful and popular web server that is used by many websites and applications. One of its features is the ability to control the size of requests that clients can make to the server. This is where the “client_max_body_size” directive comes in. The “client_max_body_size” directive specifies the maximum size of the request body that Nginx will accept from the client.
If a client sends a request with a body that is larger than the specified maximum size, Nginx will return a 413 “Request Entity Too Large” error to the client. This error is a way for Nginx to prevent the server from being overwhelmed by requests that are too large to handle.
Resolving the 413 “Request Entity Too Large” Error
To resolve the 413 “Request Entity Too Large” error, you need to increase the value of the “client_max_body_size” directive in your Nginx configuration file. The directive can be set in the server block or the http block of the Nginx configuration file, depending on the desired scope of the change.
Here’s an example of how to increase the maximum body size to 100 MB in the http block of the Nginx configuration file:
http {
client_max_body_size 100m;
}
Alternatively, you can increase the maximum body size in the server block of the Nginx configuration file:
server {
client_max_body_size 100m;
}
After making changes to the Nginx configuration file, you need to restart Nginx for the changes to take effect. You can restart Nginx by running the following command:
sudo service nginx restart
It’s important to keep in mind that increasing the maximum body size can have security implications and can increase the attack surface of your server. Therefore, it’s crucial to set a reasonable limit based on your use case and monitor the server for any potential security issues.
Conclusion
The 413 “Request Entity Too Large” error in Nginx is a common issue that occurs when the size of the request body sent by the client exceeds the value specified in the “client_max_body_size” directive. To resolve this error, you need to increase the value of the “client_max_body_size” directive in your Nginx configuration file and restart Nginx for the changes to take effect. Make sure to set a reasonable limit for the maximum body size and monitor the server for any potential security issues.
