When trying to map a specific URL directly to a static file in Nginx, many developers encounter unexpected behavior. The common approach using alias often fails because Nginx may append default index files or handle the path differently than expected.

For precise URL-to-file mapping, you should use either try_files or a direct return statement. Here are the most reliable methods:

# Method 1: Using exact location match
location = /feeds/seznam/ {
    root /path/to/file;
    try_files /feed.xml =404;
}

# Method 2: Using return (for single file mapping)
location = /feeds/seznam/ {
    return 307 /path/to/file/feed.xml;
}

The alias directive has specific behavior patterns in Nginx:

• It expects the location path to be part of the final file path
• It's sensitive to trailing slashes
• It interacts with other directives like index

For more complex scenarios, consider these patterns:

# Mapping multiple specific URLs
location ~ ^/feeds/(seznam|google|yahoo)/$ {
    root /path/to/feeds;
    try_files /$1.xml =404;
}

# Forcing XML content type
location = /feeds/seznam/ {
    types { }
    default_type application/xml;
    alias /path/to/file/feed.xml;
}

When serving static files:

• Use sendfile on for optimal file transfer
• Consider open_file_cache for frequently accessed files
• Set proper expires headers for caching

When trying to map a specific URL to a single static file in Nginx, many developers encounter issues with the default behavior of location blocks. The common approach:

location /feeds/seznam/ {
    alias /path/to/file/feed.xml;
}

This often fails because Nginx may append index.html or try to treat the path as a directory. The solution requires more precise configuration.

For mapping a single URL to one specific file, use an exact match location:

location = /feeds/seznam {
    root /path/to/file;
    try_files /feed.xml =404;
}

The = modifier ensures exact URL matching. The try_files directive explicitly looks for feed.xml in the specified root directory.

If you prefer using alias, ensure proper path termination:

location = /feeds/seznam {
    alias /path/to/file/feed.xml;
}

Key points:

• The = makes it an exact match
• No trailing slash in the location path
• Alias points directly to the file, not its directory

For more complex scenarios, consider these refinements:

location ~ ^/feeds/seznam$ {
    alias /path/to/file/feed.xml;
    default_type application/xml;
    add_header Content-Disposition 'inline';
}

This regex-based location provides more control over headers and MIME types.

After configuration:

1. Test with nginx -t
2. Reload Nginx: nginx -s reload
3. Verify with curl: curl -I http://yourserver/feeds/seznam

The response should show HTTP 200 with correct Content-Type and file contents.