How to Enable Brotli in nginx

1. Install ngx_brotli via pre-built package: apt install nginx-module-brotli (Ubuntu 22.04+)
2. Or compile: git clone --recursive https://github.com/google/ngx_brotli + configure nginx with --add-module
3. In nginx.conf (http context): load_module modules/ngx_http_brotli_filter_module.so; load_module modules/ngx_http_brotli_static_module.so;
4. In server block: brotli on; brotli_comp_level 6; brotli_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript;
5. Static files (pre-compressed .br): brotli_static on;
6. nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx
7. Verify: curl -H "Accept-Encoding: br" -I https://example.com | grep -i "content-encoding" — should be "br"

• brotli_types missing required MIME — nothing compressed
• compression level 11 (max) in line — CPU 100%. For realtime 4-6 is optimal
• brotli_static on without pre-compressed files — no change
• No gzip fallback — old clients (<5%) without Brotli get uncompressed
• Proxy-cached responses with gzip — Brotli won't apply to already-gzipped

To enable Brotli compression in Nginx, you need to install the Brotli module, configure it in your Nginx configuration file, and set the appropriate directives. Use the command sudo apt install nginx-module-brotli to install the module, then add brotli on; and brotli_types text/html text/css application/javascript; in the relevant server block to activate Brotli compression for specified file types.

Enabling Brotli compression in Nginx is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance the performance of your web applications by reducing the size of transmitted data. Follow these steps to activate Brotli compression on your Nginx server.

1. Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have the following:

• A server running Nginx version 1.9.11 or later.
• Access to the server with sufficient privileges to install modules.
• A basic understanding of Nginx configuration files.

2. Install Brotli Module

To use Brotli compression, you need to install the Brotli module for Nginx. Depending on your operating system, the installation process may vary.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install nginx-module-brotli

Use the following commands to install the Brotli module:

sudo yum install epel-release

sudo yum install nginx-mod-http-brotli

3. Configure Nginx for Brotli Compression

Once the Brotli module is installed, you need to configure Nginx to enable Brotli compression. Open your Nginx configuration file, usually located at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf or within the /etc/nginx/conf.d/ directory.

sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

Within the http block, add the following configuration:

brotli on;

brotli_static on;

brotli_types text/html text/css application/javascript application/json image/svg+xml;

This configuration enables Brotli compression and specifies the MIME types that should be compressed. Adjust the MIME types according to your application needs.

4. Additional Configuration Options

You can further customize Brotli settings with options like brotli_comp_level and brotli_vary. The brotli_comp_level directive controls the compression level, where a value of 1 is the fastest and 11 is the most compressed:

brotli_comp_level 6;

The default value is 6, which provides a good balance between compression ratio and CPU usage. The brotli_vary directive enables the Vary header for browsers that support Brotli, which helps in caching:

brotli_vary on;

5. Test Your Configuration

After making changes, test your Nginx configuration for syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

If there are no errors, reload Nginx to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

6. Verify Brotli Compression

To confirm that Brotli compression is working, you can use tools such as GiftOfSpeed or Check Gzip Compression. These tools will show you whether Brotli is enabled and provide details on the compression ratio.

Conclusion

Enabling Brotli compression in Nginx can significantly improve the loading times of your web applications, enhancing user experience and potentially boosting SEO rankings. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily set up Brotli compression and optimize your server's performance.