Enable GZIP Compression on Ubuntu + Apache

Enable GZIP Compression on Ubuntu + Apache

GZIP compression is a technique used to reduce the size of files transmitted over the internet, which can significantly improve website performance and decrease load times. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to enable GZIP compression on an Ubuntu server with Apache.

Step 1: Check if mod_deflate is installed

Before proceeding, we need to check if the mod_deflate module is installed and enabled in Apache. To do this, open a terminal and enter the following command:

apache2ctl -t -D DUMP_MODULES | grep deflate

If the output shows deflate_module (shared), it means the module is already installed and enabled. If not, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Enable the mod_deflate module

If the mod_deflate module is not installed, we need to enable it. To do this, use the following command:

sudo a2enmod deflate

Step 3: Edit the Apache configuration

Next, we need to configure Apache to enable GZIP compression for specific file types. Open the Apache configuration file using a text editor. In this example, we'll use nano, but you can use your preferred text editor:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Inside the apache2.conf file, add the following lines to enable GZIP compression for various file types:

<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/javascript
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/json
</IfModule>

The above configuration tells Apache to compress specific MIME types, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSON, before sending them to the client.

After adding the GZIP compression settings, save the changes and exit the text editor. In nano, you can do this by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y, and finally Enter.

Step 4: Restart Apache

To apply the changes, you need to restart the Apache web server. Use the following command:

sudo service apache2 restart

Conclusion

Enabling GZIP compression on your Ubuntu server with Apache can significantly improve website performance by reducing file sizes and speeding up page load times. By following the steps outlined in this article, you'll be able to enable GZIP compression and optimize your web server for a better user experience. Enjoy the improved performance of your website!