mod_pagespeed is an open-source module developed by Google to help optimize the performance of your websites by automatically applying best practices for web performance. In this guide, we will show you how to install and configure the mod_pagespeed module with Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Whether you're hosting on a Windows VPS UK or other VPS hosting environments, this setup will improve the speed of your web pages.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have the following:

• An Ubuntu 20.04 LTS server, which could be hosted on a UK Windows VPS, Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting, or another Windows VPS Hosting UK environment.
• Apache web server installed and running.
• Root or sudo privileges on your server.

Step 1: Update Your System

As always, start by updating your package list to ensure all installed software is up-to-date. Run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install mod_pagespeed

mod_pagespeed is not available in the default Ubuntu repositories, so you will need to download it from Google's official repository. Use the following commands to download and install mod_pagespeed:

wget https://dl-ssl.google.com/dl/linux/direct/mod-pagespeed-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i mod-pagespeed-stable_current_amd64.deb

After installing the package, fix any missing dependencies with:

sudo apt -f install

Step 3: Enable mod_pagespeed in Apache

Once mod_pagespeed is installed, Apache will need to be restarted for the changes to take effect. Use the following command to restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

mod_pagespeed should now be enabled and automatically start optimizing your website’s content for faster load times, ideal for high-performance environments like Windows VPS Italy or Virtueller Server.

Step 4: Verify mod_pagespeed Installation

To ensure that mod_pagespeed is working correctly, you can use the following command to check the Apache error log:

sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log

You should see entries related to mod_pagespeed confirming that it is enabled. Alternatively, you can check your website headers to verify that mod_pagespeed is optimizing your content. Use the following curl command:

curl -I -p http://your-domain.com

Look for a header called X-Mod-Pagespeed. If it's present, mod_pagespeed is working.

Step 5: Configuring mod_pagespeed

mod_pagespeed has many configurable options that allow you to customize its behavior. You can modify its configuration by editing the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/mods-available/pagespeed.conf

Some useful options you may want to enable or adjust include:

• EnableFilters: To apply specific filters for optimizations (e.g., image optimization, CSS minification).
• DisableFilters: To disable specific filters that may not be useful for your website.

After making changes, restart Apache to apply them:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 6: Test Website Performance

Once mod_pagespeed is configured and running, you can test your website's performance using online tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. These tools will show you how well your website performs and give insights into the optimizations made by mod_pagespeed.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully installed and configured the mod_pagespeed module with Apache on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. This will help improve your website's loading times and overall performance. Whether you're using a Windows VPS UK, VPS Windows Hosting, or other server environments, mod_pagespeed is a powerful tool for optimizing your website.