What header should be used for sending GZIP compressed JSON from Android Client to Server?

Question

This question is extension to the question here. I am using the code here reproduced below to GZIP compress a JSONObject.

String foo = "value";
ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
GZIPOutputStream gzos = null;

try {
    gzos = new GZIPOutputStream(baos);
    gzos.write(foo.getBytes("UTF-8"));
} finally {
    if (gzos != null) try { gzos.close(); } catch (IOException ignore) {};
}

byte[] fooGzippedBytes = baos.toByteArray();

I am using a DefaultHttpClient to send this compressed JSONObject to server(the code is in my control).

My Question

What header should I use in my request? I am using request.setHeader("Content-type", "application/json"); for sending JSON to server?

[Duplicate?](http://stackoverflow.com/q/1573391/181714) Short answer would be `request.addHeader("Accept-Encoding", "gzip");` — Audrius, Jul 10 '12 at 15:09
@Audrius ok, should I delete the question or a diffrent question title will help the community? — Gaurav Agarwal, Jul 10 '12 at 16:52
I flagged it so it will be closed and, as you said, alternative title will help somebody else. — Audrius, Jul 10 '12 at 16:58
@Audrius if you wish to answer, add it, I will accpect or you may edit my answer. — Gaurav Agarwal, Jul 10 '12 at 22:20
@GauravAgrawal How are you sending the compressed byte[] in a POST request? — ARK, Aug 10 '15 at 15:01

score 48 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 30 '15 at 11:01

48

To inform the server that you are sending gzip-encoded data, send the Content-Encoding header, not Accept-Encoding.

edited Oct 30 '15 at 11:01

pevik

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answered Jul 10 '12 at 23:14

Michael Hampton

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If you wonder also how to specify that the json text is UTF-8: set the content type to `application/json; charset=utf-8` – David S. Jul 14 '20 at 11:47

score 21 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

21

This answer shows you that you need to set a header indicating that you are sending data compressed:

HttpUriRequest request = new HttpGet(url);
request.addHeader("Content-Encoding", "gzip");
// ...
httpClient.execute(request);

The answer also shows how to deal with the incoming compressed data.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

Community

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answered Jul 10 '12 at 22:38

Audrius

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Sorry @Audrius, I hope you will appreciate Michael Hampton stand more merit, therefore I am accepting it in greater good of community. – Gaurav Agarwal Jul 11 '12 at 09:36

score 5 · Answer 3 · edited Jan 31 '20 at 08:36

Content-Type:application/json - tells what type of content data in the http call
Content-Encoding: gzip - tells what compression being used.

application/json or text/xml or other type can be compressed as gzip and sending to receiver and with Content-Type header only, receiver will identify the incoming data is of type json/xml/text and then convert back to object of type json/xml/text.

With Content-Encoding header only receiver will identify the incoming data is getting gzip compressed. Then receiver required to decompress the incoming data and use it.

What header should be used for sending GZIP compressed JSON from Android Client to Server?

3 Answers3

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