Angie is a relatively new project established by some of the former core Nginx developers, aiming to surpass the original’s capability. The just released v1.4.0 is now production-ready, offering exciting new features. So, let’s take a look at them.
Angie 1.4.0 Unveils Advanced Features and Improvements
Enhanced HTTP/3 Support
One of the most notable features in Angie 1.4.0 is the enhanced support for HTTP/3 connections to upstream servers in the HTTP proxy module, configurable via the “proxy_http_version” directive, which allows clients to use various HTTP versions while maintaining a seamless connection.
Improved Server Reliability
The release introduces a mechanism for smoothly bringing the proxied server online after a failure, using the “slow_start” option of the server directive in the upstream block – a feature crucial for maintaining continuous service availability and minimizing downtime.
MQTT Protocol Support
Angie 1.4.0 also includes the “mqtt_preread” directive in the stream module, which enhances the MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol handling. This directive allows for extracting the username and client ID from the MQTT protocol’s CONNECT packet into the “$mqtt_preread_username” and “$mqtt_preread_clientid” server’s variables.
Bandwidth Management for MP4 Files
In response to the growing need for efficient bandwidth management, the new version introduces directives for limiting the response rate of MP4 file transmissions. The new “mp4_limit_rate” and “mp4_limit_rate_after” directives help to reduce the bandwidth load proportionally based on the bitrate, ensuring smoother media delivery.
Aligns with Nginx 1.25.3 Functionalities
Angie 1.4.0 encompasses all functionalities of Nginx 1.25.3, ensuring that users benefit from the stability and features of this well-established web server. On top of that, the release includes added packages for Alpine 3.19 and a brand new dynamic module targeting LDAP authentication, “angie-module-auth-ldap.”
Lastly, the new version also addresses previous issues, including a bug where a proxied server, if the only one in a group, could be incorrectly reported as unavailable in the metrics API even after recovery. For a complete list of changes, refer to the changelog.
