## Index → Modules → Encoders

## Encoder: deflate

This compression encoder is similar to the gzip encoder. The `gzip` compression is technically superior to `deflate`, thus this one is not set up as a default for new virtual servers.

A Compression Level can be optionally set within the range 0 to 9, where 0 is no compression, 1 best speed, and 9 is best compression.

Just as with `gzip`, the encoding support is based on modules. The configuration file must tell the server to load a module or it won’t be supported.

Also, as with `gzip`, it is possible to specify which files can be encoded and which ones are to be excluded.

The only reason to offer `deflate` encoding is for the rare cases in which it is supported by clients that do not support `gzip`. No modern web browser will lack this. However more than one encoder can be offered simultaneously by Cherokee, so you have the choice to add or not the support for `deflate`.