NGINX Unit is a universal web app server designed to streamline the application stack for web applications and APIs. By merging several layers of the traditional application stack into a single component, it caters to various deployment complexities, from small personal projects to large enterprise environments. Built on a new open-source codebase by the original NGINX team, it leverages over a decade of insights from the widely used NGINX web server, offering robust support for modern microservices architectures and legacy systems alike.

The architecture of NGINX Unit is characterized by its multi-process, multi-threaded design, allowing it to run application code natively, unlike its predecessor which primarily functions as a reverse proxy. NGINX Unit supports multiple programming languages and integrates seamlessly with tools like Docker, Kubernetes, and various programming frameworks. It is suitable for a diverse range of users including businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, and startups, and provides various support options, including documentation and training resources.