API: Use Gzip compression when requested

[0ip]

If a client requests the content of a rather large pad and the request contains Accept-encoding: 'gzip', it's definitely useful to compress the response.

This could be done using Node's integrated zlib library or using connect.compress.

[marcelklehr]

For smaller pads gzipping produces some serious overhead, though, compared to what we actually gain by reducing the packet size.

[disy-mk]

Could this also speed up a "first connect" to EPL? Which is necessary to cache jquery, and other stuff?

Having a clear cache this really takes some time…

[marcelklehr]

I think we should rather spend our time reducing http requests on page
load..

[0ip]

@marcelklehr Maybe, that's why compression should only be enabled when actually requested using the specific header.

Btw, I solely meant the API. Sorry for any confusion. :)

[marcelklehr]

In any case, this is a socket.io issue, since it doesn't expose the http
headers and the connection might not use http as a transport at all, so..

[0ip]

I don't see why this should be a socket.io issue. :(
I'd implement gzip somewhere here, no?

[marcelklehr]

oh, sry. i didn't realize you were talking about the API. I thought you meant our real-time socket.io connections..

[JohnMcLear]

Please create a vote for this plugin / feature on http://etherpad.idea.informer.com/

[JohnMcLear]

Closing as I'm skeptical of the value this provides but if someone wants me to re-open then feel free to bump :)