== link:index.html[Index] -> link:modules.html[Modules] -> link:modules_encoders.html[Encoders]

Encoder: deflate
-----------------

This compression encoder is similar to the
link:modules_encoders_gzip.html[gzip] encoder. The `gzip` compression
is technically superior to `deflate`, thus this one is not set up as a
default for new virtual servers.

A *Compression Level* can be optionally set within the range 0 to 9,
where 0 is no compression, 1 best speed, and 9 is best compression.

Just as with `gzip`, the encoding support is based on modules. The
configuration file must tell the server to load a module or it won't
be supported.

Also, as with `gzip`, it is possible to specify which files can be
encoded and which ones are to be excluded.

The only reason to offer `deflate` encoding is for the rare cases in
which it is supported by clients that do not support `gzip`. No modern
web browser will lack this. However more than one encoder can be
offered simultaneously by Cherokee, so you have the choice to add or
not the support for `deflate`.