Check GZIP Compression

What is GZIP Compression? 

GZIP stands as a vital file format and application utilized for compressing HTTP content before delivering it to users. This compression process can effectively reduce data size by up to 50%, resulting in enhanced page loading times and reduced bandwidth consumption.

GZIP boasts compatibility with a wide array of file formats, encompassing:

.gz – which signifies the file extension commonly associated with GZIP files. .tar – primarily used for storing diverse archive files, although not intended for compression purposes. Nonetheless, GZIP proves adept at reducing .tar files. .tgz, .tar.gz, .gz file – GZIP seamlessly compresses all these file formats with efficiency.

How does gzip work? 

Gzip, short for GNU zip, relies on the Deflate algorithm, a variation of the LZ77 (Lempel-Ziv 77) file compression method, and Huffman coding. Utilizing both techniques, gzip scans files for double-character strings. If the program encounters such repetitive sequences, it replaces them with a reference to the first string, with the length of a sequence typically limited to 32,000 bytes. If a string does not appear in the previous 32,000 bytes, it will be stored uncompressed in the gzip file, denoted by the .gz extension. This process is restricted to individual files, hence the need for the tar archiver to create so-called tarball files with .tar.gz or .tgz extensions

Assessing GZIP Compression: Is Gzip Enabled On Your Website? 

In recent times, GZIP Compression has emerged as the default standard for numerous websites, facilitating the upload of compressed file versions onto web hosting servers. Originally devised to streamline processes for website owners, this method prompted browsers to effectively manage compressed files, subsequently decompressing them for user display.

Present-day websites are inundated with a myriad of content types—ranging from visual, graphic, audio, textual, to video. This abundance of content poses significant challenges for browsers when loading files uncompressed, leading to slower loading times. However, utilizing compressed files alleviates this burden on servers, enabling them to operate with reduced bandwidth and space consumption.

Conducting an online GZIP test allows for the examination of compressed files on your web server. Our compression checker tool, developed by a team of highly skilled professionals, caters to the diverse needs of our users, providing swift and efficient utility for compression checks.

How To Verify GZIP Compression 

At SocialPhy, we consistently strive to exceed user expectations by providing top-notch SEO and web-related services. Our GZIP Compression test Tool serves as a valuable resource for identifying potential server-side shortcomings. By enabling users to pinpoint compressed and uncompressed files on their servers, it facilitates the rectification of these issues, thereby enhancing site loading speeds.

Outlined below are simple steps to utilize our GZIP compression tool online:

Visit our webpage: https://seo.socialphy.com/check-gzip-compression/ Enter your Domain URL in the provided field.

Press the “Check Compression” button.

Voila! The online utility will conduct a GZIP test and promptly display information regarding compressed and uncompressed files.

How Does GZIP Compression Work? 

GZIP compression represents a critical process utilized to condense data for transmission over the web. In a digital landscape where internet usage is ubiquitous, the prevalence of low-speed internet connections underscores the importance of employing GZIP compression to facilitate smooth data transfer.

It's noteworthy that GZIP compression serves as the predominant method for compressing text data on websites. Additionally, it's imperative to recognize that GZIP compression operates on a lossless basis, striking an optimal balance between speed and compression ratio.

Primarily based on the DEFLATE algorithm's internals, which encompass a combination of LZ77 and Huffman coding, GZIP compression excels in its ability to compress data effectively. Amidst various data compression implementations, including GNU, GZIP, 7-ZIP, and zopfli, the consensus often favors GZIP compression owing to its remarkable lossless data compression capabilities.

How to Activate GZIP Compression On Your Website Server? 

Embracing GZIP Compression empowers users to significantly reduce the size of their web files (PHP, CSS, JS, HTML), thereby expediting their transmission to servers with increased efficiency. Subsequently, these files can be decompressed to their original size before being delivered back to users' browsers from the server.

Activating GZIP Compression on your site server can be achieved via methods such as mod-deflate or mod-zip. Professional coders may discern that the deflate method offers distinct advantages over mod-zip, given its capacity to compress server output before transmitting it to users' browsers. Moreover, this method boasts comprehensive documentation and streamlined configuration processes. While mod-deflate enjoys widespread support in comparison to mod-zip, users encountering issues with mod-deflate on their hosts may seamlessly transition to mod-zip without hesitation.

It's essential to acknowledge that not all hosts have enabled these modules on their servers. Consequently, users encountering issues with the provided .htaccess scripts may need to consult their host for assistance. Links to download both mod-zip and mod-deflate codes are provided for users' convenience.

Tip 

The original file typically disappears after compression with gzip, although this option can be automatically disabled using the optional parameter (-k).

To decompress compressed packages, you can use either the gunzip application or the corresponding gzip command. The features and structure of the gzip format, which transform during compression, are defined in the specifications published in 1996 RFC 1951 and RFC 1952. These include a 10-byte header with version number and date, optional additional headers that store, for example, the original name of the source file, and an 8-byte footer containing, among other things, a checksum for error detection.

In what areas can the compression tool be used? 

Gzip was originally developed for the GNU Unix platform, but nowadays it can be used on any platform as long as the selected GPL license for the project is respected. In Linux systems, this compression tool is usually installed automatically or available for installation via the package management system. In addition to various editions for older operating systems, the official website also hosts versions for macOS and Windows. Furthermore, server applications like Apache have been able to handle gzip compression tasks for years, although this function is not always utilized, as well as the ability of modern browsers to interpret and decompress compressed files during webpage rendering.

In the field of web development is where gzip can fully exploit its potential: if the procedure is activated, the server automatically compresses elements of web pages both loaded in the web space and dynamically generated. This can reduce the loading time of web pages for visitors. The fact that users only have to load compressed data packages allows pages to be generated much faster. Meanwhile, the browser performs decompression in the background without using additional bandwidth. Users of mobile devices benefit the most from this optimal performance, which indirectly influences search engine rankings positively.

Gzip: syntax and commands 

Although there are graphical interfaces for different platforms, handling gzip in the terminal or through commands can be done without any difficulties. This process is not a major challenge even for less experienced users, as gzip is a classic command-line tool optimized for such uses. The general syntax takes the following form:

gzip options file(s) The use of options is not mandatory. If the field remains empty, gzip resorts to the default settings. Thus, only a simple command like:

gzip example.txt is needed to create a compressed version of the example.txt text file. To decompress files later or provide special instructions on the degree of compression, file location, or treatment of the original file, commands require specifications suitable for each case. The following table provides an overview of the most important gzip commands:

Option Description 

-1 … -9 Sets the compression level (1–9): 1 applies the weakest and fastest compression, and 9 applies the best compression but is slower; 5 is the default value 

-r Recursively traverses the directory (including subdirectories) and compresses or decompresses all files it contains 

-f Forces compression with gzip and overwrites existing files with the same filenames if necessary 

-d Decompresses the selected file in the current directory 

-k Prevents the deletion of the original file 

-l Displays data such as compression rate of a compressed file 

-c Makes the compressed file return to its standard version; usually the command line-associated screen 

-q Disables all gzip notifications 

-t Checks the integrity of the compressed file 

-h Provides a list of all available options

How can gzip compression be used for projects with Apache? 

In general, web servers offer the convenient method of compression through a module that logically needs to be activated. Nowadays, many hosting providers make this function freely available, although the situation was somewhat different in the past. The background in this regard is primarily that compression requires additional processing power, so if there is no certainty that the hosting provider authorizes the use of gzip, it is advisable to contact them directly or, alternatively, make a manual inquiry.

On an Apache web server, you can check the module configuration, for example, using a simple phpinfo() function. The HTTP_ACCEPT_ENCODING entry reveals which compression methods have been selected, if any.

If gzip is available, using the compression wizard according to your needs offers a large number of possibilities.

How to activate gzip compression in the .htaccess file Through an .htaccess file, adjustments can be made to specific directories (valid for both current directories and subdirectories) to configure the web server in real-time. This is achieved because a configuration file, usually found in the root directory and delivered to the server with each request, can be read automatically. In the case of some web hosting providers, the .htaccess file is either deposited or hidden in another folder or has its access blocked. 

If this happens, you can only contact the provider to request unlocking. Once the appropriate adjustments are made, you can start compression with gzip (mod_gzip) or use the module for the Deflate algorithm (mod_deflate), where the following code will be inserted:

mod_gzip_on Yes
mod_gzip_dechunk Yes
mod_gzip_item_include file .(html?|txt|css|js|php|pl)$
mod_gzip_item_include handler ^cgi-script$
mod_gzip_item_include mime ^text/.*
mod_gzip_item_include mime ^application/x-javascript.*
mod_gzip_item_exclude mime ^image/.*
mod_gzip_item_exclude rspheader ^Content-Encoding:.*gzip.*


AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript

How to compress with gzip via PHP It is also possible to activate the compression process using a PHP entry. The disadvantage in this case is that the code has to be inserted individually for each PHP document. Therefore, this option is recommended when you do not have the necessary permissions to edit the .htaccess file. The character sequence that needs to be included at the beginning of the corresponding file is as follows:

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