How to use gzip compression in apache for html, css and js files?

Sometimes there IS a need(reason) to introduce it -- if you really want to use it.

Here's the .htaccess addition you might make:

///////compress text, html, css, xml, & javascript:///////

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

////Or, compress by extension://///

<Files *.html> SetOutputFilter DEFLATE </Files>

//////////////////

If your host has the option disabled on Apache for some reason, then the .htaccess approach will "compress" your site into a 500 error message. 8)

However, if zlib is built into your php, you can use php.ini in your root (or subfolders) to set

zlib.output_compression = 1

and that will compress your php scripts, but no others. If you still really want your css, js, xml (etc) files compressed though you can check this out:

http://www.thewebdevelopmentblog.com/2008/10/tip-speed-up-your-websites-using-gzip-and-merging-files/

it's less than an ideal/site wide solution, but if you have only a few large files that are bugging you... then there you go!

Hope it helps someone! Todd