ngx_pagespeed (or simply pagespeed) is a Nginx module designed to automatically optimize the website by reducing its load time in the browser.

Source code and dependencies download*

Update the list of system packages:

sudo apt-get update  

Next, let's download all the programs we need to compile and test:

sudo apt-get install build-essential zlib1g-dev libpcre3 libpcre3-dev unzip uuid-dev  

Then create a subdirectory in your home directory to download Nginx packages.

mkdir ~/custom-nginx  

Open it up:

cd ~/custom-nginx  

Next, check the Nginx version

root@kvmde68-19464# nginx -v  
nginx version: nginx/1.19.0

And download the original Nginx package from official site.

sudo wget http://nginx.org/download/nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz  
root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx# sudo wget http://nginx.org/download/nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz  
--2020-07-01 14:44:06-- http://nginx.org/download/nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz
Resolving nginx.org (nginx.org)... 62.210.92.35, 95.211.80.227, 2001:1af8:4060:a004:21::e3  
Connecting to nginx.org (nginx.org)|62.210.92.35|:80... connected.  
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK  
Length: 1043748 (1019K) [application/octet-stream]  
Saving to: 'nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz'  

nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz 100%[=======================================>] 1019K --.-KB/s in 0.1s  

2020-07-01 14:44:06 (7.90 MB/s) - 'nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz' saved [1043748/1043748]

Unpack the resulting archive:

sudo tar zxvf nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz  

Query the content of the ~/custom-nginx folder:

ls ~/custom-nginx  

The command will show the output:

root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx# ls ~/custom-nginx  
nginx-1.19.0 nginx-1.19.0.tar.gz  

To add the ngx_pagespeed module, you must first open the modules folder in the nginx-1.16.1 directory:

cd nginx-1.19.0/src/http/modules/  

Download the ngx_pagespeed archive from Github repository into this directory.

sudo wget https://github.com/pagespeed/ngx_pagespeed/archive/master.zip  

After the download is complete, unzip the archive:

sudo unzip master.zip  

Rename it to ngx_pagespeed for convenience:

sudo mv incubator-pagespeed-ngx-master ngx_pagespeed  

Open the directory:

cd ngx_pagespeed  

Download the PageSpeed Optimization Libraries (psol) package you need to compile into it:

sudo wget https://dl.google.com/dl/page-speed/psol/1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz  
root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx/nginx-1.19.0/src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed# sudo wget https://dl.google.com/dl/page-speed/psol/1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz  
--2020-07-01 14:51:41-- https://dl.google.com/dl/page-speed/psol/1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz
Resolving dl.google.com (dl.google.com)... 172.217.22.110, 2607:f8b0:4006:810::200e  
Connecting to dl.google.com (dl.google.com)|172.217.22.110|:443... connected.  
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK  
Length: 18740791 (18M) [application/x-tar]  
Saving to: '1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz'  

1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz 100%[=======================================>] 17.87M 12.5MB/s in 1.4s  

2020-07-01 14:51:43 (12.5 MB/s) - '1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz' saved [18740791/18740791]  


Finally, extract the psol archive into the ngx_pagespeed directory:

sudo tar -xzvf 1.13.35.2-x64.tar.gz  

Setting up and compiling the source code

Now you need to edit the Nginx code and add the pagespeed module to it. Open the Nginx parent code directory:

cd ~/custom-nginx/nginx-1.19.0/  

See the configuration of nginx already installed on your system:

# nginx -V
root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx/nginx-1.19.0# nginx -V  
nginx version: nginx/1.19.0  
built by gcc 7.4.0 (Ubuntu 7.4.0-1ubuntu1~18.04.1)  
built with OpenSSL 1.1.1 11 Sep 2018  
TLS SNI support enabled  
configure arguments: --prefix=/etc/nginx --sbin-path=/usr/sbin/nginx --modules-path=/usr/lib/nginx/modules --conf-path=/etc/nginx/nginx.conf --error-log-path=/var/log/nginx/error.log --http-log-path=/var/log/nginx/access.log --pid-path=/var/run/nginx.pid --lock-path=/var/run/nginx.lock --http-client-body-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/client_temp --http-proxy-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/proxy_temp --http-fastcgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/fastcgi_temp --http-uwsgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/uwsgi_temp --http-scgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/scgi_temp --user=nginx --group=nginx --with-compat --with-file-aio --with-threads --with-http_addition_module --with-http_auth_request_module --with-http_dav_module --with-http_flv_module --with-http_gunzip_module--with-http_gzip_static_module -with-http_mp4_module -with-http_random_index_module -with-http_realip_module -with-http_secure_link_module -with-http_slice_module -with-http_ssl_module -with-http_stub_status_modulehttp_sub_module --with-http_v2_module --with-mail --with-mail_ssl_module --with-stream --with-stream_realip_module --with-stream_ssl_preread_module -with-cc-opt='-g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/data/builder/debuild/nginx-1.19.0/debian/debuild-base/nginx-1.19.0=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC' --with-ld-opt='-Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,-as-needed -pie'  

Build nginx from source:

# sudo ./configure __parameters_of_old_nginx_ --add-module=:
sudo ./configure --prefix=/etc/nginx --sbin-path=/usr/sbin/nginx --modules-path=/usr/lib/nginx/modules --conf-path=/etc/nginx/nginx.conf --error-log-path=/var/log/nginx/error.log --http-log-path=/var/log/nginx/access.log --pid-path=/var/run/nginx.pid --lock-path=/var/run/nginx.lock --http-client-body-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/client_temp --http-proxy-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/proxy_temp --http-fastcgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/fastcgi_temp --http-uwsgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/uwsgi_temp --http-scgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/scgi_temp --user=nginx --group=nginx --with-compat --with-file-aio --with-threads --with-http_addition_module --with-http_auth_request_module --with-http_dav_module --with-http_flv_module --with-http_gunzip_module--with-http_gzip_static_module -with-http_mp4_module -with-http_random_index_module -with-http_realip_module -with-http_secure_link_module -with-http_slice_module -with-http_ssl_module -with-http_stub_status_modulehttp_sub_module --with-http_v2_module --with-mail --with-mail_ssl_module --with-stream --with-stream_realip_module --with-stream_ssl_preread_module -with-cc-opt='-g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/data/builder/debuild/nginx-1.19.0/debian/debuild-base/nginx-1.19.0=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC' --with-ld-opt='-Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,-as-needed -pie' --add-module=./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed/  

An error may occur after trying to build Nginx:

./configure: error: SSL modules require the OpenSSL library.
You can either do not enable the modules, or install the OpenSSL library  
into the system, or build the OpenSSL library statically from the source  
with nginx by using --with-openssl=<path>option.  

If this is the case, you should install the missing packages and try again:

sudo apt-get install libssl-dev  
и  
sudo apt-get install openssl  
root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx/nginx-1.19.0# sudo ./configure --prefix=/etc/nginx --sbin-path=/usr/sbin/nginx --modules-path=/usr/lib/nginx/modules --conf-path=/etc/nginx/nginxconf --error-log-path=/var/log/nginx/error.log --http-log-path=/var/log/nginx/access.log --pid-path=/var/run/nginx.pid --lock-path=/var/run/nginx.lock --http-client-body-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/client_temp --http-proxy-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/proxy_temp --http-fastcgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/fastcgi_temp --http-uwsgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/uwsgi_temp --http-scgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/scgi_temp --user=nginx --group=nginx --with-compat --with-file-aio --with-threads --with-http_addition_module --with-http_auth_request_module --with-http_dav_module --with-http_flv_module --with-http_gunzip_module--with-http_gzip_static_module -with-http_mp4_module -with-http_random_index_module -with-http_realip_module -with-http_secure_link_module -with-http_slice_module -with-http_ssl_module -with-http_stub_status_modulehttp_sub_module --with-http_v2_module --with-mail --with-mail_ssl_module --with-stream --with-stream_realip_module --with-stream_ssl_preread_module -with-cc-opt='-g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/data/builder/debuild/nginx-1.19.0/debian/debuild-base/nginx-1.19.0=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC' --with-ld-opt='-Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,-as-needed -pie' --add-module=./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed/  
checking for OS  
 + Linux 4.15.0-106-generic x86_64
checking for C compiler ... found  
 + using GNU C compiler
 + gcc version: 7.5.0 (Ubuntu 7.5.0-3ubuntu1~18.04) 
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configuring additional modules  
adding module in ./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed/  
mod_pagespeed_dir=./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed//psol/include  
build_from_source=false  
checking for psol ... found  
List of modules (in reverse order of applicability): ngx_http_write_filter_module ngx_http_header_filter_module ngx_http_chunked_filter_module ngx_http_v2_filter_module ngx_http_range_header_filter_module ngx_pagespeed_etag_filter ngx_http_gzip_filter_module ngx_pagespeed ngx_http_postpone_filter_module ngx_http_ssi_filter_module ngx_http_charset_filter_module ngx_http_sub_filter_module ngx_http_addition_filter_module ngx_http_gunzip_filter_module ngx_http_userid_filter_module ngx_http_headers_filter_module  
checking for psol-compiler-compat ... found  
 + ngx_pagespeed was configured
checking for PCRE library ... found  
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creating objs/Makefile  

Configuration summary  
  + using threads
  + using system PCRE library
  + using system OpenSSL library
  + using system zlib library

  nginx path prefix: "/etc/nginx"
  nginx binary file: "/usr/sbin/nginx"
  nginx modules path: "/usr/lib/nginx/modules"
  nginx configuration prefix: "/etc/nginx"
  nginx configuration file: "/etc/nginx/nginx.conf"
  nginx pid file: "/var/run/nginx.pid"
  nginx error log file: "/var/log/nginx/error.log"
  nginx http access log file: "/var/log/nginx/access.log"
  nginx http client request body temporary files: "/var/cache/nginx/client_temp"
  nginx http proxy temporary files: "/var/cache/nginx/proxy_temp"
  nginx http fastcgi temporary files: "/var/cache/nginx/fastcgi_temp"
  nginx http uwsgi temporary files: "/var/cache/nginx/uwsgi_temp"
  nginx http scgi temporary files: "/var/cache/nginx/scgi_temp"

After completing the configuration, run the compilation:

sudo make  

After that, you can install the program:

sudo make install  

After that we will see that the module has been added:

root@kvmde68-19464:~/custom-nginx/nginx-1.19.0# nginx -V  
nginx version: nginx/1.19.0  
built by gcc 7.5.0 (Ubuntu 7.5.0-3ubuntu1~18.04)  
built with OpenSSL 1.1.1 11 Sep 2018  
TLS SNI support enabled  
configure arguments: --prefix=/etc/nginx --sbin-path=/usr/sbin/nginx --modules-path=/usr/lib/nginx/modules --conf-path=/etc/nginx/nginx.conf --error-log-path=/var/log/nginx/error.log --http-log-path=/var/log/nginx/access.log --pid-path=/var/run/nginx.pid --lock-path=/var/run/nginx.lock --http-client-body-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/client_temp --http-proxy-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/proxy_temp --http-fastcgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/fastcgi_temp --http-uwsgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/uwsgi_temp --http-scgi-temp-path=/var/cache/nginx/scgi_temp --user=nginx --group=nginx --with-compat --with-file-aio --with-threads --with-http_addition_module --with-http_auth_request_module --with-http_dav_module --with-http_flv_module --with-http_gunzip_module--with-http_gzip_static_module -with-http_mp4_module -with-http_random_index_module -with-http_realip_module -with-http_secure_link_module -with-http_slice_module -with-http_ssl_module -with-http_stub_status_modulehttp_sub_module --with-http_v2_module --with-mail --with-mail_ssl_module --with-stream --with-stream_realip_module --with-stream_ssl_preread_module -with-cc-opt='-g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/data/builder/debuild/nginx-1.19.0/debian/debuild-base/nginx-1.19.0=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC' --with-ld-opt='-Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,-as-needed -pie' --add-module=./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed/  

Include ngx_pagespeed

After installing the Nginx server, you need to enable the ngx_pagespeed module.

First you need to create a folder where the module will store the cache of the site files:

sudo mkdir -p /var/ngx_pagespeed_cache  

Pass the rights to this folder to the Nginx user, so that the web server has the necessary level of access.

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/ngx_pagespeed_cache  

Open the main Nginx configuration file, nginx.conf, to edit:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf  

Add the following lines to the http block and save your changes:

##
# Pagespeed Settings
##
pagespeed on;  
pagespeed FileCachePath /var/ngx_pagespeed_cache;  

The /etc/nginx/nginx.conf file now looks like this

file

Add the following to server-block:

# Ensure requests for pagespeed optimized resources go to the pagespeed
# handler and no extraneous headers get set.
location ~ "\.pagespeed\.([a-z]\.)?[a-z]{2}\.[^.]{10}\.[^.]+" { add_header "" ""; }  
location ~ "^/ngx_pagespeed_static/" { }  
location ~ "^/ngx_pagespeed_beacon" { }  

These settings configure pagespeed to optimize sites.

Restart Nginx to update the settings:

sudo service nginx restart  

To make sure that the ngx_pagespeed module works, run the Nginx binary.

sudo /usr/sbin/nginx -V  

If the installation was successful, the ngx_pagespeed module will appear in the list among other user arguments:

nginx version: nginx/1.19.0  
configure arguments: --add-module=./src/http/modules/ngx_pagespeed/  

Now let's check if the module is working or not. You can check it by running the following command:

curl -I -p IP_your_server  

You should see the following output:

root@kvmde68-19464:~# curl -I -p 5.187.7.109  
HTTP/1.1 200 OK  
Server: nginx  
Content-Type: text/html  
Connection: keep-alive  
Vary: Accept-Encoding  
ETag: "2aa6-58052495e6b7c"  
Date: Wed, 01 Jul 2020 14:54:50 GMT  
X-Page-Speed: 1.13.35.2-0  
Cache-Control: max-age=0, no-cache  

You should see X-Page-Speed and the version number in the output above
This means you have successfully installed Ngx_pagespeed on the server.


If you have any configuration difficulties or any additional questions, you can always contact our support team via ticket system.

Updated July 3, 2020