How to compile/install mod_deflate into Apache 2.x

The following assumptions will be used throughout this article:

• Apache is installed in /usr/local/apache2 directory
• Apache Source Code version is 2.0.59
• Apache Source code is uncompressed in /home/user directory

The three assumptions above will be dependent on your system setup and should be changed in the commands below as(if) appropriate.

1. Hack apr-config located in the /usr/local/apache2/bin directory so the LDFLAGS will have the "-lz" value similar below:

   LDFLAGS="-lz"

2. Download and extract apache httpd source code and navigate to the /home/user/httpd-2.0.59/modules/filters directory
3. Run the following command while in the modules/filters directory:

   /usr/local/apache2/bin/apxs -c mod_deflate.c

4. Copy the compiled mod_deflate.so into the apache2/modules directory using the following command:

   cp .libs/mod_deflate.so /usr/local/apache2/modules/

5. Edit the Apache configuration (apache2/conf/httpd.conf) and append the following lines:

   LoadModule deflate_module modules/mod_deflate.so
   
   
   # Insert filter
   SetOutputFilter DEFLATE
   
   # Netscape 4.x has some problems...
   BrowserMatch ^Mozilla/4 gzip-only-text/html
   
   # Netscape 4.06-4.08 have some more problems
   BrowserMatch ^Mozilla/4\.0[678] no-gzip
   
   # MSIE masquerades as Netscape, but it is fine
   # BrowserMatch \bMSIE !no-gzip !gzip-only-text/html
   
   # NOTE: Due to a bug in mod_setenvif up to Apache 2.0.48
   # the above regex won't work. You can use the following
   # workaround to get the desired effect:
   BrowserMatch \bMSI[E] !no-gzip !gzip-only-text/html
   
   # Don't compress images
   SetEnvIfNoCase Request_URI \
   \.(?:gif|jpe?g|png)$ no-gzip dont-vary
   
   # Make sure proxies don't deliver the wrong content
   Header append Vary User-Agent env=!dont-vary
   

6. Restart apache by invoking the following command while in the apache2/bin directory

   apachectl restart

   if on ssl, stop apachectl first and restart in ssl mode

   apachectl stop
   apachectl startssl