# Execution order of HttpLimitReq, proxy\_pass and rewrites **URL:** \ **Category:** NGINX\ **Created:** [March 30, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138 "2011-03-30T15:28:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dubstep](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@dubstep](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dubstep)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/1 "2011-03-30T15:28:29Z")
Hello, I have tried to rate limit a resource using HttpLimitReq that is passed on to a backend Apache server. Now when I try to limit this resource, nothing is blocked and all requests go through. When using static resources, the limit\_req works as expected. Here is my config: location /cgi-bin/test.pl { limit\_req zone=one nodelay burst=3; } location /cgi-bin/ { proxy\_pass http://default\_backend/cgi-bin/; } I think this might be related to the execution order or these modules. Which of the commands limit\_req and proxy\_pass is evaluated first? How can I limit the access to resources in a backend server? Thank you for your help! Best regards, Jonas Kaufmann Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Execution order of HttpLimitReq, proxy\_pass and rewrites](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,186876,186876#msg-186876)** > > Hello, I have tried to rate limit a resource using HttpLimitReq that is passed on to a backend Apache server. Now when I try to limit this resource, nothing is blocked and all requests go through. When using static resources, the limit\_req works as... ---
**Author:** ![j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/j0nes2k)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/2 "2011-03-30T15:42:43Z")
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 09:28:04AM -0400, j0nes2k wrote: Hi there, A general rule of nginx is that one request is handled by one location block. Only the configuration in, or inherited by, that location matters. (An internal redirect counts as a new request, more or less.) > when I try to limit this resource, > nothing is blocked and all requests go through. > location /cgi-bin/test.pl { > limit\_req zone=one nodelay burst=3; > } There is a limit\_req in this location. > location /cgi-bin/ { > proxy\_pass http://default\_backend/cgi-bin/; > } There’s no limit\_req in this location. Does that (indirectly) answer your question? ## f Francis D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/j0nes2k)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/3 "2011-03-30T15:51:59Z")
Hello Francis, okay, I see. So nginx seems to (randomly?) choose one of the location blocks - in my case it was the lower one using the proxy\_pass directive. However I have several scripts running under /cgi-bin that need different limit\_req settings - there are scripts that need to have a strong limit and others do not need a limit at all. I have tried something like location /cgi-bin/ { if ($request\_filename ~ test.pl) { limit\_req zone=one nodelay burst=3; } proxy\_pass http://default\_backend/cgi-bin/; } …but unfortunately limit\_req is not allowed in this context. Is there another option how I could get limit\_req to work for me? Thanks! Best regards, Jonas Kaufmann Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Re: Execution order of HttpLimitReq, proxy\_pass and rewrites](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,186876,186880#msg-186880)** > > Hello, I have tried to rate limit a resource using HttpLimitReq that is passed on to a backend Apache server. Now when I try to limit this resource, nothing is blocked and all requests go through. When using static resources, the limit\_req works as... ---
**Author:** ![j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/j0nes2k)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/4 "2011-03-30T16:09:17Z")
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 09:51:16AM -0400, j0nes2k wrote: > location /cgi-bin/ { > if ($request\_filename ~ test.pl) { > limit\_req zone=one nodelay burst=3; > } > proxy\_pass http://default\_backend/cgi-bin/; > } > > …but unfortunately limit\_req is not allowed in this context. Is there > another option how I could get limit\_req to work for me? location /cgi-bin/ { proxy\_pass http://default\_backend; } location = /cgi-bin/test.pl { limit\_req zone=one nodelay burst=3; proxy\_pass http://default\_backend; } – Igor S. > **[Igor Sysoev](http://sysoev.ru/en/)** ---
**Author:** ![j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/j0nes2k)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/5 "2011-03-30T17:36:27Z")
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 09:51:16AM -0400, j0nes2k wrote: Hi there, > okay, I see. So nginx seems to (randomly?) choose one of the location > blocks - in my case it was the lower one using the proxy\_pass directive. There shouldn’t be any randomness involved. There’s a Fine Manual at [GitHub - nginxinc/nginx-wiki: ARCHIVED -- Source for the now archived NGINX Wiki section of https://www.nginx.com · GitHub](http://wiki.nginx.org/HttpCoreModule#location) > However I have several scripts running under /cgi-bin that need > different limit\_req settings - there are scripts that need to have a > strong limit and others do not need a limit at all. As Igor showed, use multiple location blocks. > I have tried something like > > location /cgi-bin/ { > if ($request\_filename ~ test.pl) { Note that there’s also a special warning about if() inside location{} at [GitHub - nginxinc/nginx-wiki: ARCHIVED -- Source for the now archived NGINX Wiki section of https://www.nginx.com · GitHub](http://wiki.nginx.org/IfIsEvil) – anything other than “return” or “rewrite … last” is likely to cause confusion. > …but unfortunately limit\_req is not allowed in this context. Is there > another option how I could get limit\_req to work for me? If your scripts don’t use PATH\_INFO, then something like location = /script/one { limit\_req …; proxy\_pass …; } and if they do, then something like location ^~ /script/two {} or location ^~ /script/two/ {} with the same contents. Good luck with it, ## f Francis D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@j0nes2k](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/j0nes2k)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/execution-order-of-httplimitreq-proxy-pass-and-rewrites/205138/6 "2011-03-30T20:52:21Z")
Hello Igor and Francis, amazing, thank you for your help! Everything works right now! Best regards Jonas Kaufmann Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Re: Execution order of HttpLimitReq, proxy\_pass and rewrites](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,186876,186955#msg-186955)** > > Hello, I have tried to rate limit a resource using HttpLimitReq that is passed on to a backend Apache server. Now when I try to limit this resource, nothing is blocked and all requests go through. When using static resources, the limit\_req works as...