Easy Steps To Install Brotli Compression on AlmaLinux 8

In this article, we aim to guide you on How To Install Brotli Compression on AlmaLinux 8. Brotli is a modern, open-source lossless data compression algorithm developed by Google. Its initial purpose was to reduce the size of WOFF2 web font files, building upon the foundations of zopfli, a zlib-compatible implementation of the standard gzip and deflate specifications. Therefore, Brotli is highly web-focused. The goal is faster website loading times and reduced bandwidth consumption. The Easy Steps To Install Brotli Compression on AlmaLinux 8 will be outlined in the guide below.

Before you begin the Brotli compression installation, you’ll need to log in to your AlmaLinux 8 server as a non-root user with sudo privileges. If you haven’t already set this up, you can refer to our article on the orcacore website, specifically the Initial Server Setup with AlmaLinux 8. This will ensure you have the necessary permissions to proceed with the installation.

This guide focuses on installing Brotli from source on AlmaLinux 8. While this approach provides the most control over the installation process, it’s essential to follow each step carefully to avoid any potential issues. Let’s dive into the step-by-step instructions for completing the Easy Steps To Install Brotli Compression on AlmaLinux 8.

Install Brotli from source on AlmaLinux 8

First, update your local package index using the following command. This ensures you have the latest package information available:

sudo dnf update -y

Next, install the required packages and dependencies. These tools are necessary for compiling and installing Brotli from source:

sudo dnf install -y wget gcc make bc sed autoconf automake libtool git tree

Now, clone the Brotli repository from GitHub. This downloads the source code to your server:

git clone https://github.com/google/brotli.git

After cloning, switch to the Brotli directory:

cd brotli

Create a manual page for the Brotli command. This allows you to access documentation directly from the command line:

sudo cp ~/brotli/docs/brotli.1 /usr/share/man/man1 && sudo gzip /usr/share/man/man1/brotli.1

Generate the Autotools configure file. This script prepares the build environment:

./bootstrap

Now you have access to the usual C program build steps: configure, make and make install available.

At this point, you can build and install Brotli on AlmaLinux 8 with the following commands:

# ./configure --prefix=/usr 
                 --bindir=/usr/bin 
                 --sbindir=/usr/sbin 
                 --libexecdir=/usr/lib64/brotli 
                 --libdir=/usr/lib64/brotli 
                 --datarootdir=/usr/share 
                 --mandir=/usr/share/man/man1 
                 --docdir=/usr/share/doc

# make
# sudo make install

After the installation is complete, verify your Brotli installation on AlmaLinux 8 by checking its version:

brotli --version

**Output**
brotli 1.0.9

You can also use the following command to get more help about the brotli command:

brotli -h

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ve successfully learned how to Install Brotli Compression on AlmaLinux 8 from source. Now, your system is equipped with Brotli, which can be used for file compression and decompression.

Also, you may be interested in these articles:

How To Set up Scribus on AlmaLinux 8

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Alternative Installation Methods for Brotli on AlmaLinux 8

While compiling from source provides maximum control, there are alternative methods for installing Brotli that might be simpler and more convenient for some users. Here are two alternative approaches:

1. Using the EPEL Repository (if available)

The Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository provides additional packages that are not included in the base AlmaLinux repositories. While Brotli may not always be directly available in EPEL, it’s worth checking, and it’s a much simpler installation process if it is.

Explanation:

EPEL is a community-based repository that offers a wide range of open-source packages for Enterprise Linux distributions like AlmaLinux. Using EPEL simplifies the installation process because you don’t have to manually download and compile the source code. The package manager handles the dependency resolution and installation automatically.

Steps:

1. Enable the EPEL Repository (if not already enabled):

   First, check if EPEL is already enabled:

   dnf repolist enabled | grep epel

   If EPEL is not listed, enable it with:

   sudo dnf install epel-release -y

2. Install Brotli:

   Once EPEL is enabled, try to install Brotli using dnf:

   sudo dnf install brotli -y

3. Verify Installation:

   Check the installed version of Brotli:

   brotli --version

Caveats:

• The availability of Brotli in EPEL is not guaranteed and can change over time.
• This method might install an older version of Brotli compared to compiling from source.
• Sometimes it may be neccesary to enable the powertools repo. This can be done with the command: sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools.

2. Using a Pre-Built RPM Package

Another approach is to find and install a pre-built RPM package for Brotli. This eliminates the need for compilation but requires finding a trusted source for the RPM.

Explanation:

RPM packages are pre-compiled software packages that can be easily installed on RPM-based Linux distributions like AlmaLinux. Installing from an RPM package is faster and easier than compiling from source, but it’s crucial to ensure the RPM comes from a reliable source to avoid security risks.

Steps:

1. Find a Trusted RPM Package:

   Search for a Brotli RPM package from a reputable source. Be cautious about downloading RPMs from unknown websites. Repositories like RPMfind or similar can be used, but verify the package’s authenticity and source.

2. Download the RPM Package:

   Use wget or a similar tool to download the RPM package to your server.

   wget <RPM_PACKAGE_URL>

   Replace <RPM_PACKAGE_URL> with the actual URL of the RPM package.

3. Install the RPM Package:

   Use rpm or dnf to install the package. If you use rpm, you might need to manually resolve dependencies. Using dnf is recommended as it automatically handles dependencies.

   sudo dnf install <RPM_PACKAGE_NAME>

   Or, if using rpm:

   sudo rpm -ivh <RPM_PACKAGE_NAME>

   Replace <RPM_PACKAGE_NAME> with the name of the downloaded RPM file.

4. Verify Installation:

   Check the installed version of Brotli:

   brotli --version

Example:

Let’s say you found an RPM package named brotli-1.0.9-1.el8.x86_64.rpm. You would install it like this:

sudo dnf install brotli-1.0.9-1.el8.x86_64.rpm

Caveats:

• Finding a trustworthy RPM package can be challenging.
• The package might not be optimized for your specific AlmaLinux version or hardware.
• Dependency issues can occur if the package requires libraries not available on your system. dnf typically handles this well, but rpm may require manual intervention.

Choosing the right installation method depends on your specific needs and comfort level. Compiling from source offers the most control and potentially the latest version, but using EPEL or an RPM package can be more convenient. Always prioritize security and verify the source of any software you install on your system.