# What Is Brotli Compression and How to Enable It in xCloud > Brotli compression shrinks HTML, CSS and JavaScript more than Gzip. Learn how it works, how xCloud enables it by default and how to check it on your site. **Brotli compression** is an open-source algorithm from Google that shrinks text files like HTML, CSS and JavaScript before your server sends them, so pages load faster than they do with Gzip. On xCloud, Brotli is already switched on for new NGINX servers, and you can confirm it in under a minute. Website speed has become a critical factor for online success. A delay of just one second in page load time can **result in a drop** in conversions. That is why technologies like [**Brotli compression**](https://www.brotli.org/) are essential tools for website owners who want to give visitors a faster website. If you are hosting your site on xCloud, Brotli compression is one of the easiest performance wins available to you. Today, we will explore what Brotli compression is and how to enable Brotli in xCloud. Let us get started. ## What Is Brotli Compression? [**Brotli compression**](https://www.brotli.org/) is an open-source, modern way to make files smaller, and it was created by Google in 2015. It was made to be better than older methods like **Gzip Compression**, giving smaller file sizes and helping websites load faster. Compression means shrinking files so they take up less space when sent from a website to your browser. This makes pages load quicker without losing any data. Brotli uses smart techniques like a built-in dictionary and **Huffman coding** to reduce file sizes more effectively than Gzip. It works especially well for web content like **HTML**, **CSS**, and **JavaScript**. Brotli can make files up to **26% smaller** than Gzip, which can significantly boost page speed, something both users and search engines like Google really appreciate. While Gzip has been around a long time and is widely used, Brotli is now supported by all major modern browsers like **Chrome, Firefox, Safari**, and **Edge**. That makes it a smart choice for developers who want faster websites. With Brotli compression for faster websites, you will also benefit from smaller bandwidth consumption, which could mean cost savings if you pay for server bandwidth separately. ## How Does Brotli Compression Work? Brotli compression works by identifying repetitive patterns in files like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It then replaces those patterns with shorter representations using advanced algorithms. Brotli uses three main techniques: - **Modern LZ77 Algorithm**: It finds repeated byte sequences and encodes them efficiently. - **Huffman Coding**: It assigns shorter codes to more frequent bytes. This technique compresses data without losing any information. - **Second-Order Context Modeling**: It predicts upcoming data based on previous byte patterns. This makes compression even smarter. These techniques give Brotli a clear advantage over older methods like gzip. Brotli often [**compresses files 20% to 30%**](https://gcore.com/learning/what-is-brotli-compression) more efficiently, especially with text-based resources. Brotli compression involves two main steps: ### 1\. Compression on the Server When a user requests a page, the server compresses web assets using the Brotli algorithm. This process reduces file sizes significantly without losing data. ### 2\. Decompression in the Browser Modern browsers recognize Brotli-encoded files. They automatically decompress the data in real time. This keeps the website fast and fully functional, with no visible delay for users. Most Brotli tutorials mention that it supports compression levels ranging from 0 to 11. Lower levels compress quickly. Higher levels take more time but achieve better compression. Web servers usually choose a mid-to-high level to balance speed and performance. Brotli is also tied to HTTPS. Browsers only advertise Brotli support (`Accept-Encoding: br`) over secure connections, so your site needs an SSL certificate before visitors can receive Brotli-compressed files. Brotli excels at compressing text-based content such as: - HTML - CSS - JavaScript - JSON - SVG - Other text-like files However, Brotli does not help much with binary files like images or videos. These files are usually already compressed. A deeper understanding of how Brotli works reveals why many companies have switched from gzip. Brotli reduces file sizes, and decompressing it in the browser is fast, so it improves performance without straining user devices. In short, Brotli compression is a powerful tool in modern web development. It creates smaller files, loads sites faster, and delivers a better user experience. ## How to Enable Brotli Compression in xCloud If you host your website with xCloud, enabling Brotli compression is very simple. On xCloud’s new servers, Brotli comes pre-enabled for all eligible files served through NGINX. You do not need to configure anything manually unless you are using an older server setup. To get the most out of Brotli, ensure your website uses HTTPS. Brotli only works over secure connections. If your site is proxied through Cloudflare (whether your server runs NGINX or OpenLiteSpeed), Cloudflare compresses responses with Brotli for browsers that support it. Cloudflare has since retired the separate Brotli toggle under **Speed** and **Optimization**, so there is usually nothing to switch on in the dashboard. See [how to use xCloud with Cloudflare](/docs/using-xcloud-with-cloudflare-for-dns-management/) for the DNS setup. With xCloud, Brotli compression is enabled by default so that your visitors always get smooth performance, and you do not have to go through the complex steps. For more details, check the detailed documentation to [**enable Brotli compression**](/docs/brotli-compression-on-xcloud/) with xCloud. ### Brotli on a WordPress Site Hosted Elsewhere If your host does not offer Brotli at server level, a plugin can fill the gap. xSpeed Cache, a WordPress performance plugin from WPDeveloper, the company behind xCloud, includes [Brotli compression for WordPress](https://xspeedcache.com/) in its **Pro** plan, alongside Critical CSS and WebP and AVIF image conversion. The [free plan](https://wordpress.org/plugins/xspeed/) already covers page caching, browser caching, minification and lazy loading, which pair well with Brotli because smaller files and fewer requests add up. It runs on Apache, nginx, LiteSpeed, IIS or any standard PHP host. On xCloud you do not need a plugin for Brotli, since the server handles it. New WordPress sites on xCloud still get xSpeed Cache installed and switched on automatically for page and object caching. Read [the xSpeed Cache launch post](/introducing-xspeed-cache/) to see everything it does. ## Advantages of Using Brotli Compression Now that you understand what Brotli compression is and how it works, let us look at why you should use it right away. The benefits of Brotli go far beyond just reducing file size. It can dramatically improve your website’s speed, user experience, and SEO performance. ### 1\. Smaller File Sizes with Better Compression Brotli delivers superior compression compared to older methods like gzip. It often reduces file sizes by **20% to 30% more**, especially for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSON files. Smaller files mean browsers download less data. This leads to **faster page loads** and **lower bounce rates**. Faster websites also tend to rank higher in search results. ### 2\. Faster Page Load Speeds Web developers often enable Brotli to **speed up page loads**. When files are smaller, browsers can render pages more quickly. Users don’t have to wait, and your site feels instantly responsive. This is not just about a better experience, it affects your bottom line. A one-second delay in load time can cause a **7% drop in conversions**. When applied correctly, Brotli can boost your [**Google PageSpeed Insights**](/docs/how-to-access-page-speed-insights-on-xcloud/) scores and improve your **Core Web Vitals**. Compression is one layer; caching is another, so pair it with [browser caching](/how-to-leverage-browser-caching-on-wordpress/) and [edge page caching](/edge-page-caching-how-does-it-work/) for the biggest gains. ### 3\. Improved SEO Performance Google prioritizes fast, user-friendly websites. Brotli compression helps you meet that standard. Faster loading times improve user engagement, increase dwell time, and [**reduce bounce rates**](https://betterlinks.io/reduce-bounce-rate/), all of which help your **SEO rankings**. Google’s own tools check for compression. PageSpeed Insights flags uncompressed text files under “Enable text compression”. Gzip passes that check too, but Brotli leaves you with smaller files. Brotli is not just about saving bandwidth. It is also about **gaining visibility in search engines**. ### 4\. Lower Bandwidth Usage Smaller files mean less data transfer. If your site handles high traffic, Brotli can **significantly reduce bandwidth costs**. This efficiency lowers your server load and can lead to savings on your **hosting bills**. Brotli’s performance offers both technical and financial benefits. ### 5\. Better Performance on Mobile Devices Mobile users often rely on slower connections. Every kilobyte counts. Brotli makes a big difference here by delivering **lightweight assets** that load faster on mobile networks. By using Brotli, you optimize your site for mobile-first indexing, another major SEO factor. You also improve the experience for users on limited data plans. ## How to Test Brotli Compression of Your Website Before you enable Brotli on xCloud or confirm that it is working, you should first check if it is already active on your website. Verifying this is quick and easy, and it helps you ensure your site is optimized for speed, user experience, and SEO. ### Use Online Tools You can check the support for Brotli instantly with a number of free tools, such as: - [**GiftOfSpeed Brotli Test**](https://www.giftofspeed.com/gzip-test/): Enter your website URL. The tool checks if Brotli compression is active. ![GiftOfSpeed compression test result showing Brotli as the content encoding](/_landing/blog/what-is-brotli-compression-image-68.png) - [**KeyCDN Brotli Test**](https://tools.keycdn.com/brotli-test): Check whether your site serves Brotli-compressed responses. - **Google PageSpeed Insights**: If text compression is missing, the “Enable text compression” audit lists the uncompressed files. - [**xSpeed Scan**](https://xspeedcache.com/scan): Grades any site from 0 to 100 in under a minute and maps each failing check to the feature that fixes it, so you can see what to tackle after compression. ### Check in Browser Developer Tools You can also verify Brotli directly in your browser by doing the following: 1. Open your website in **Google Chrome**. 2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select **Inspect**. 3. Go to the **Network** tab. 4. Reload the page. 5. Click the main request (usually your homepage URL). 6. Look under the **Headers** section for **Content-Encoding**. If you see ‘br’, Brotli compression is active. If you see gzip instead, Brotli is not enabled yet. In that case, check your server settings, especially if you are using xCloud. ### Use the Command Line If you are comfortable with the terminal, try this: ``` curl -s -I -H "Accept-Encoding: br" https://example.com | grep -i "content-encoding" ``` If the response shows `Content-Encoding: br`, your website uses Brotli compression. ## Speed Up, Rank Higher with Brotli Compression on xCloud By learning what Brotli compression is and how to enable it in xCloud, you unlock major speed and performance improvements for your website. This is not just about faster load times, it is also about creating a smoother user experience and gaining a real edge in SEO. Compared with Gzip, Brotli gives better compression ratios and quicker page loads, and every modern browser supports it. If you want to improve website speed, reduce bounce rates, or boost search rankings, enabling Brotli can deliver a better experience for every visitor. For the next steps, see our [website performance optimization guide](/how-to-optimize-website-performance-guide/). If you have found this blog helpful, feel free to [**subscribe to our blogs**](/blog/) for valuable tutorials, guides, knowledge, and tips on web hosting and server management. You can also join our [**Facebook community**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/xcloud.community) to share insights and engage in discussions. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between Brotli and Gzip compression? Brotli and Gzip are both lossless text compression algorithms, but Brotli usually produces smaller files and therefore faster page loads. Brotli is newer and was created by Google, while Gzip is older and more widely adopted. ### Which is better for website performance: Brotli or Gzip? Brotli is usually better for performance because it produces smaller files, often 20–30% smaller than Gzip for text content. That means less data to download and faster page loads. Keep Gzip enabled as a fallback for the few clients that do not support Brotli. ### Does Brotli compress files more than Gzip? Yes, Brotli compresses files more efficiently than Gzip, especially text-based content like HTML, CSS, JavaScript and JSON. It uses a built-in dictionary and context modeling to reach higher compression ratios. ### Do I need a WordPress plugin to use Brotli compression? Not on xCloud. Brotli is enabled at server level on new NGINX servers, so every site on them gets it automatically. If your WordPress site is hosted somewhere that does not offer Brotli, xSpeed Cache Pro includes Brotli compression, while the free plan covers page caching, browser caching, minification and lazy loading.