---
sidebar_label: Skip the nginx sidecar
toc_max_heading_level: 3
doc_id: a7f3c2e1-9b4d-4e6a-8c1f-2d5b8e0a4f37
description: >-
  Remove the nginx sidecar from instance-based (EC2) scopes with NP_SKIP_NGINX so
  the balancer reaches your application directly, and understand the metrics and
  traffic-log trade-off.
keywords:
  - nginx sidecar
  - NP_SKIP_NGINX
  - EC2 scopes
  - server instances
  - HTTP metrics
  - traffic logs
---

# Skip the nginx sidecar

By default, instance-based (EC2) scopes run an nginx sidecar in front of your application. The load balancer sends traffic to nginx, and nginx proxies it to your container. Setting `NP_SKIP_NGINX=true` removes that sidecar so the balancer reaches your application directly.

:::warning Coordinate with us first
Skipping the sidecar changes how traffic reaches your scope and removes HTTP-level observability, so we want to review it with you before it goes live. [Reach out to the nullplatform team](/docs/support) before enabling it.
:::

:::note
This applies to instance-based (EC2) scopes only. It's a runtime setting on the underlying AMI.
:::

## When to use it

Skip the sidecar when your application already handles everything nginx would do for it, for example TLS termination, header rewriting, or its own reverse proxy. Removing the extra hop simplifies the request path and gives your app full control over the connection.

> 💡 **Tip:**  If you're not sure whether you need it, keep the sidecar. It's the default for a reason: it's what produces your HTTP metrics and traffic logs (see [What changes](#what-changes) below).

## Enable it

`NP_SKIP_NGINX` is read from your application parameters. Create an environment variable parameter delivered to your container with the value `true`:

```text
NP_SKIP_NGINX=true
```

Once it's set, the next deployment brings up the scope without the nginx container.

### Application port

Without the sidecar, the balancer targets your application container directly on port `8080`, so your app must listen on `8080`.

If your application listens on a different port, remap it with `NP_APP_CONTAINER_EXTRA_PORTS` and make sure the mapping keeps `8080` as the host (balancer-facing) port, for example `8080:3000`. See [Exposing additional ports on your instance](/docs/scopes-legacy/management#exposing-additional-ports-on-your-instance) for the format.

## What changes

The nginx sidecar is what produces your HTTP-level observability. When you skip it, two things stop:

- **HTTP metrics** (aggregated request/latency/status metrics) are no longer produced.
- **Traffic logs** are no longer produced.

Your **application logs keep working** as usual.

:::warning
HTTP metrics and traffic logs are a core part of the nullplatform experience and your troubleshooting toolkit. Only skip the sidecar when your application genuinely replaces what nginx does, and know that you'll lose that HTTP-level visibility.
:::

## Next steps

- [Capabilities](/docs/scopes-legacy/capabilities): configure hardware and runtime settings for legacy scopes
- [Scope management](/docs/scopes-legacy/management): manage ports, balancers, and other instance settings
- [Legacy scopes](/docs/scopes-legacy/scopes): overview of Kubernetes, EC2, and Lambda legacy scope types