How to Enable Gzip Compression in Joomla 4

Let’s take a look at the basics of enabling gzip compression on a Joomla 4 site.

• The What and Why of Gzip
• Enable Joomla 4 Gzip Compression
• What Sites Benefit the Most from Gzip Compression

The What and Why of Gzip

Gzip is simply another way to compress your data. If you’ve ever extracted files from a ZIP folder or compressed Linux server files into a tar.gz, then you’re already familiar with data compression tools. Gzip is a bit like that, except it works between servers and web browsers.

If you’re using a web browser that supports gzip — and the server you’re receiving data from also supports gzip — the server will send certain site files to your browser in a compressed format. This means that your browser will have less data to download, though the browser will need to decompress the site files after receiving them.

Enable Joomla 4 Gzip Compression

While some site builders can take quite a bit of work to get Gzip running smoothly, the process is quick and easy in Joomla 4.

1. From your Joomla 4 Home Dashboard, click on System.
2. Next, click on Global Configuration under Setup.
3. Click on the Server tab.
   
4. Look for the entry labelled Gzip Page Compression and toggle this to Yes.
5. Click on Save. You will see a confirmation message.

What Sites Benefit the Most from Gzip Compression

Not every site is going to see a significant difference in speed after enabling gzip compression. A lot of web data — including modern image, document, and video formats — are already compressed due to modern browser configuration. Content Management Systems like Joomla and WordPress, though, can end up with a lot of other site data if they make heavy use of extensions and plugins. Give gzip a try and see if it speeds up your site!