Pagespeed + Apache2 on Ubuntu Server

I try and get all my installing done before I get into putting files on the server. So, if I wreck something and have to start over, I haven’t wasted a lot of upload and setting up time.

This server I am describing runs Ubuntu Server and I am using it to run a few wordpress sites. WordPress being a resource hog (charming as it is), I want to keep things peak. If it seems excessive, I can always drop the excessive later.

Google’s mod_pagespeed

I have not used this before, but I heard that it compresses images, and that’s good enough for me to give it a shot, rather than fiddle with smush.it plugins that can’t reach many images called the most. I can remember to compress all before uploading, but seriously, who remembers? mod_pagespeed is in beta, but I’m going on trust, seeing as how the project has active development.

So here goes. Pretty straightforward. Get debian package, install. went without a hiccup this one. Easily the least complicated so far.

wget https://dl-ssl.google.com/dl/linux/direct/mod-pagespeed-beta_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i mod-pagespeed*.deb

service apache2 restart

Now edit /etc/apache2/mods-available/pagespeed.conf and add your cdn (if any) so that pagespeed knows to optimize those files too.

service apache2 restart

Update: I disabled pagespeed after my CPU usage started spiking rapidly and dangerously. I suppose it can be configured better, So I will come back to it at a later date. Too busy to do any extensive tinkering and babying right now.

Update: I have been able to get this to work most excellently – even for my efficeincy obsessed mind – post coming up with my settings and logic soon.