500 error when compressing files with .htaccess

Question

I'm trying to compress files with .htaccess but I'm getting a 500 internal error,

This is the code I'm trying to use.

# JavaScript compression htaccess ruleset
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .js
php_value auto_prepend_file gzip-js.php
php_flag zlib.output_compression On

I've also tried this but getting the same error,

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

Any suggestions why?

Solution 1

Do you have mod_deflate installed? Try this instead and see if your error goes away.

<ifModule mod_deflate.c>
<Files *.html>
SetOutputFilter DEFLATE
</Files>
</ifModule>

If this resolves the 500 error, then you probably don't have mod_deflate installed. You can test it by visiting HTTP Compression Test.

If you have access, you may be able to enable it by uncommenting the following lines in your httpd.conf file.

LoadModule filter_module modules/mod_filter.so
LoadModule deflate_module modules/mod_deflate.so

Then you will need to add an output type for each file type you wish to compress.

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript

As mentioned in the comments, AddOutputFilterByType depends on mod_filter. If you still get a 500 error you should check that this module is loaded too.

You can read more here: Use mod_deflate to Compress Web Content delivered by Apache

I can't find any documentation that suggests whether Siteground supports mod_deflate or not. Their KB suggests using gZip from PHP.

How to enable gZIP compression for your pages?
How to compress my CSS with gZIP?

Solution 2

After spending hours of search I found this article, thought someone else might find it helpful,

Enjoy.

Solution 3

## DEFLATE ##

#mod_filter.so and mod_deflate.so

should be ON !!!!

<ifmodule mod_deflate.c>
    AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/text text/html text/plain text/xml text/css application/x-javascript application/javascript
</ifmodule>

Comments

[believe me]

Thanks Nilpo, I'm not getting the error anymore, but I dont see it should get compressed when I try to check if its copmressed, so how can I improve thats really compressed?,

[Nilpo]

Actually, if that resolved the error, you do not have the necessary module installed. You can test compression for a page here: whatsmyip.org/http-compression-test

[believe me]

Ok, I test it in two sites, and its not gzipped, so I guess I need to install it?

[Scott]

@believeme Alternatively you can run sudo a2enmod deflate and sudo service apache2 restart to load mod deflate

[believe me]

@Nilpo Thank you very much, lets investigate it, and I'll let you know the results I got.

[believe me]

@Scott I dont have much knowlage in these two types you mentioned, but just curious to know if I need to instal that things or am I able to do that without installaitions?

[Nilpo]

mod_deflate is generally available in most PHP installations. Who is your hosting provider?

[believe me]

@Nilpo Siteground.com is my hosting provider

[believe me]

Thanks alot @Nilpo I very appreciate your help, I'm looking into your post and let you know my results.

[believe me]

@Nilpo I actauly did these two things you mentioned in the last edit and it works perfectly, but I'm trying to do that in a .htaccess file so I dont have to put the php in each aditional file, so I'll try to figure how to do it with .htaccess what you mentioned in the first edit.

[Nilpo]

Unfortunately LoadModule only works within the context of the httpd.conf file. The reason being that modules are loaded when the Apache service is started, not each time a request is made which is when the .htaccess file is checked.

[believe me]

@Nilpo I see in the phpinfo() file that zip option is enabled, and also zlib is enabled, that means that mod_deflate is also anabled?

[Nilpo]

The zip extension adds support for zip files. The zlib extension is used for PHP compression. Neither is part of mod_deflate. The .htaccess check I gave you earlier is the easiest way to determine if it is loaded or not.

[believe me]

@Nilpo Now I got it, look at this article, the problem is that in some version you have to use mod_deflate, and some versions you have to use mod_gzip, any ways, I very appreciate your help, I'll check you answer.

[Nilpo]

Correct. I believe in Apache 2.x, mod_deflate is preferred. Earlier versions use mod_gzip.

[train]

Note to anyone else having problems with this. I had to also enable "mod_filter" in addition to "mod_deflate". Cheers.

[plamut]

Please edit your answer a bit, because it gives an impression of SCREAMING. Thanks! :)

[Devner]

I can confirm that indeed, uncommenting "mod_filter" can help fix the issue, as that is how I resolved mine.

[R T]

I might add that mod_headers needs to be enabled too (magento)

[kittygirl]

@Nilpo,I commnet` #LoadModule filter_module modules/mod_filter.so`,but compression still work.what's the problem?