The zlib module provides compression and decompression using Gzip, Deflate, and Brotli algorithms. Here's how to use it.
Basic Compression
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Stream-Based Compression
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HTTP Compression
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Compression Options
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Comparing Algorithms
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Incremental Compression
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Memory-Efficient Processing
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Compression Utilities
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JSON Compression
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Error Handling
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Express Middleware
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Best Practices
Algorithm Choice:
✓ Brotli for static assets (best ratio)
✓ Gzip for dynamic content (fast)
✓ Deflate for legacy support
✓ Match client Accept-Encoding
Performance:
✓ Use streams for large files
✓ Set appropriate compression level
✓ Cache compressed assets
✓ Set minimum size threshold
Implementation:
✓ Handle errors properly
✓ Validate before decompressing
✓ Use pipeline for streams
✓ Promisify callback APIs
Avoid:
✗ Compressing already compressed data
✗ High compression for real-time
✗ Ignoring Content-Encoding header
✗ Memory issues with large buffers
Conclusion
The zlib module provides efficient compression for Node.js applications. Use Brotli for best compression ratios on static assets, Gzip for dynamic content, and streams for large files. Always check Accept-Encoding headers in HTTP responses and handle errors appropriately. Set compression thresholds to avoid overhead on small responses.