Infyways Solutions

Tag: CMS

  • Magento Alternatives for eCommerce Websites

    Magento Alternatives for eCommerce Websites

    Magento is a popular eCommerce platform that is widely used by businesses of all sizes to sell their products and services online. However, with the rise of new eCommerce platforms and the changing needs of businesses, there are now several Magento alternatives available. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the top alternatives to Magento for eCommerce websites.

    Shopify

    One of the main benefits of Shopify is that it is a fully hosted platform, meaning that you don’t need to worry about setting up and managing your own hosting environment. Shopify also offers a range of plans to suit businesses of all sizes, making it a great option for startups as well as established businesses.

    Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms and is a great alternative to Magento for businesses of all sizes. With Shopify, you can quickly set up an online store, customize your website design, and start selling products online. Shopify also offers a wide range of integrations with third-party apps and tools, making it easy to add new features to your store.

    WooCommerce

    WooCommerce is a popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress that allows you to turn your WordPress website into a fully functional online store. With WooCommerce, you can easily add products, set up payment gateways, and customize your store’s design.

    One of the main benefits of WooCommerce is that it is open source and highly customizable. This means that you have complete control over your online store and can modify it as needed to meet the specific needs of your business. WooCommerce also offers a range of extensions and plugins to add new features to your store.

    BigCommerce

    BigCommerce is a powerful eCommerce platform that is a great alternative to Magento. With BigCommerce, you can quickly set up an online store, customize your website design, and start selling products online. BigCommerce also offers a range of built-in marketing tools, making it easy to promote your store and drive traffic to your website.

    One of the main benefits of BigCommerce is that it is a fully hosted platform, meaning that you don’t need to worry about setting up and managing your own hosting environment. BigCommerce also offers a range of plans to suit businesses of all sizes, making it a great option for startups as well as established businesses.

    PrestaShop

    PrestaShop is a popular open-source eCommerce platform that is a great alternative to Magento. With PrestaShop, you can quickly set up an online store, customize your website design, and start selling products online. PrestaShop also offers a range of built-in marketing tools, making it easy to promote your store and drive traffic to your website.

    One of the main benefits of PrestaShop is that it is open source and highly customizable. This means that you have complete control over your online store and can modify it as needed to meet the specific needs of your business. PrestaShop also offers a range of modules and plugins to add new features to your store.

    OpenCart

    OpenCart is a lightweight and easy-to-use eCommerce platform that is a great alternative to Magento. With OpenCart, you can quickly set up an online store, customize your website design, and start selling products online. OpenCart also offers a range of built-in marketing tools, making it easy to promote your store and drive traffic to your website.

    One of the main benefits of OpenCart is that it is lightweight and fast, meaning that it can handle large amounts of traffic without slowing down your website. OpenCart also offers a range of extensions and plugins to add new features to your store.

    Conclusion

    Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for the success of your online store. While Magento is a powerful platform, there are now several alternatives available that offer similar or better features and functionalities. Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, PrestaShop, and Open

  • Test and enable Gzip compression in Joomla

    Test and enable Gzip compression in Joomla

    Gzip compression in Joomla shrinks text responses (especially HTML that PHP builds) before they leave the server, so browsers download less data. On Joomla 4, 5, and 6 you enable Gzip Page Compression under System → Global Configuration → Server. That switch compresses Joomla’s buffered page output when PHP zlib is available. Static CSS and JavaScript files are a separate job for Apache mod_deflate / the Joomla .htaccess gzip section, Nginx, LiteSpeed, or a CDN (often Brotli with Gzip fallback).

    Many “5 simple steps” posts turn the Global Configuration toggle on and stop. Then GTmetrix still complains about uncompressed assets, or the site shows ERR_CONTENT_DECODING_FAILED from double compression. This guide covers what the toggle really does, how to test correctly, DIY server rules, Brotli in 2026, and how to undo a bad stack without guessing.

    What you will learn

    • Gzip Page Compression vs server or CDN compression for static files
    • How to enable and disable the Joomla setting safely
    • How to test with DevTools and curl (not only a random online badge)
    • DIY .htaccess / host panel options and the official htaccess.txt gzip block
    • Why double Gzip breaks pages and how to fix it
    • Where Brotli fits, and when compression is not the real speed problem

    What Joomla Gzip Page Compression actually compresses

    Layer Compresses Where you enable it
    Gzip Page Compression Buffered HTML (and related PHP output) when zlib works Global Configuration → Server
    Apache / LiteSpeed / Nginx Often CSS, JS, HTML, JSON, SVG, fonts Host panel, vhost, or .htaccess
    Joomla htaccess.txt gzip section Prebuilt .css.gz / .js.gz if those files exist Root .htaccess from current htaccess.txt
    CDN (Cloudflare and similar) Edge compression, often Brotli + Gzip CDN dashboard

    Official help describes the setting as compressing buffered output if supported. Requirements: PHP compiled with zlib, and no second compressor already mangling the same response.

    Step 1: Confirm zlib and current headers

    1. System → System Information → PHP Settings. Confirm zlib (or zlib compression support) is available.
    2. Open the live homepage in a private window.
    3. DevTools → Network → select the document request → Headers. Look for Content-Encoding: gzip or br.
    4. Optional curl check from any machine that can reach the site:
    curl -sI -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate, br" "https://www.example.com/"

    Note whether compression is already on before you change anything. Many hosts and CDNs already gzip HTML.

    Step 2: Enable Gzip Page Compression in Joomla

    Joomla Global Configuration Server tab with Gzip Page Compression set to Yes
    1. System → Global Configuration → Server tab.
    2. Gzip Page Compression: Yes.
    3. Save & Close.
    4. System → Clear Cache.
    5. Retest the document response for Content-Encoding: gzip.

    If the site breaks (blank page, encoding error), set the option back to No immediately, clear cache, and jump to the troubleshooting section. Double compression is the usual culprit.

    Step 3: Test properly (HTML vs CSS/JS)

    What you test How Pass looks like
    HTML document DevTools Network → first document, or curl -I with Accept-Encoding Content-Encoding: gzip or br
    A CSS file Click a .css request in Network Same header, or CDN br
    A JS file Click a .js request Same
    Online checkers GTmetrix, KeyCDN HTTP Header Checker, giftofspeed, etc. Use as a second opinion, not the only proof 
    curl -sI -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip" "https://www.example.com/media/system/js/core.min.js"

    Joomla’s toggle can pass HTML while CSS/JS stay uncompressed. That is expected until the server or CDN compresses static files.

    Step 4: DIY server compression for static assets

    Prefer the host’s “Optimize website” / “Compress content” panel when it exists. On Apache, a minimal deflate block (only if the host does not already compress) looks like:

    <IfModule mod_deflate.c>
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml text/css
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript application/json application/xml
</IfModule>

    Rules of thumb:

    • Do not stack aggressive mod_deflate on top of Joomla Gzip Page Compression if HTML starts failing. Pick one HTML compressor.
    • Keep a backup of .htaccess before editing.
    • After Joomla updates, diff your .htaccess against the shipping htaccess.txt. The GZIP & BROTLI section evolved (including E=no-brotli:1 on precompressed assets).

    Official notes: The htaccess.txt file. If the site looks strange after enabling that gzip section, the comments in htaccess.txt say your server may already gzip CSS/JS. Comment the block out.

    Step 5: Brotli and CDN in 2026

    Modern browsers prefer Brotli (Content-Encoding: br) when the edge supports it. Joomla has no “Brotli Page Compression” switch. Enable Brotli on LiteSpeed, Cloudflare, or Nginx with the brotli module, and keep Gzip as fallback for older clients.

    • If the CDN already compresses, you often leave Joomla Gzip on or off based on whether origin HTML is still uncompressed in a bypass test
    • Test with a cache-bypassing header or orange-cloud off briefly so you know whether origin or edge is doing the work
    • Precompressed .js.gz / .css.gz must not be compressed again (the stock htaccess rules set no-gzip / no-brotli for those files)

    Step 6: Troubleshoot and disable cleanly

    Symptom Likely cause Fix
    ERR_CONTENT_DECODING_FAILED Double Gzip / Brotli Turn Joomla Gzip off, or remove duplicate server rules, clear caches
    HTML compressed, CSS/JS not Only page compression on Enable server/CDN compression for static types
    Nothing compressed No zlib, proxy stripping encoding, or Accept-Encoding missing in the test Check PHP info, retest with the curl header above
    Works in curl, fails in browser Extension, SW, or CDN cache serving a bad body Purge CDN, disable service worker, retest private window
    CPU spikes after enabling Compressing huge uncacheable HTML every hit Add page/object cache. See caching in Joomla

    To disable Joomla’s layer only: Global Configuration → Server → Gzip Page Compression → No → Save → Clear Cache. That does not turn off host or CDN compression.

    Gzip is not a substitute for a healthy stack

    Compression helps text weight. It does not replace image optimisation, a current PHP version, or leaving Joomla 3. If Core Web Vitals stay poor after Gzip and cache, fix the platform. Infyways upgrades start at $149 with a free audit within 12 hours: Joomla Upgrade Services.

    What thinner articles leave out

    Topic Typical post This guide
    Scope of the toggle “Compresses all files” HTML buffer vs static assets vs CDN
    Testing One online badge DevTools + curl for HTML and JS/CSS
    Double compression Rarely mentioned ERR_CONTENT_DECODING_FAILED playbook
    htaccess.txt Random deflate snippet Official gzip/brotli notes and when to disable
    Brotli Missing or hand-wavy CDN/server layer, not a Joomla switch
    Next bottleneck Stop at Gzip Cache and upgrade path

    Key takeaways

    1. Turn on Gzip Page Compression for buffered HTML when zlib is present.
    2. Compress CSS/JS at the server or CDN. The Joomla toggle alone is not enough.
    3. Test the document and at least one CSS and one JS request.
    4. Avoid double compression. Decoding errors mean turn a layer off.
    5. Keep .htaccess aligned with current htaccess.txt after upgrades.
    6. Prefer Brotli at the edge when available, with Gzip fallback.
    7. Pair compression with caching. Compression on an uncached PHP hit still costs CPU.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I enable Gzip compression in Joomla?

    Go to System → Global Configuration → Server, set Gzip Page Compression to Yes, save, and clear cache. Then verify Content-Encoding on the HTML document.

    Does Gzip Page Compression compress CSS and JavaScript?

    Not reliably. It targets Joomla’s buffered page output. Static files need server, htaccess, or CDN compression.

    How do I test Gzip on a Joomla site?

    Use DevTools Network headers or curl with Accept-Encoding: gzip and look for Content-Encoding: gzip or br on HTML and assets.

    What causes ERR_CONTENT_DECODING_FAILED after enabling Gzip?

    Usually two compressors on the same response. Disable Joomla Gzip or the extra server rule, purge caches, and retest.

    Should I use Gzip and Brotli together?

    Yes at the edge when configured correctly: Brotli for supporting browsers, Gzip as fallback. Do not double-compress the same payload.

    Do I need zlib for Joomla Gzip Page Compression?

    Yes. Without zlib support in PHP, the Joomla setting cannot compress buffered output.

    Is Gzip enough to make Joomla fast?

    No. It reduces transfer size for text. You still need caching, modern PHP, lean extensions, and optimised images.

    How do I turn Gzip off again?

    Set Gzip Page Compression to No, save, clear Joomla cache, and purge CDN cache if you use one.

    Where do we start if the site is slow even with Gzip?

    Request a Joomla upgrade audit and review Joomla caching on staging.