Nginx module not binary compatible after compilation on Centos 7

Turns out, the --with-compat option was causing the issue. I added it because the guide on nginx.com said so, but after removing it and compiling one more time, nginx -t tells me that the config is good.

Removing --with-compat option cannot possibly solve it.

If you got the error about binary incompatible module that was compiled with this option, it only means that you compiled it for one version and loaded into a different version. E.g. module was compiled against NGINX source 1.16.0 while you're loading it (using) in NGINX 1.12.2. And that version is very old by the way, and has HTTP/2 security vulnerabilities, for which you have to update.

If anything, there's not much reason not to use --with-compat.

I am very biased in saying this, but GetPageSpeed repo, while being not gratis for CentOS 7 (free for CentOS/RHEL 8 as of this writing), allows you to get always up-to-date modules for new NGINX versions, which are released on a regular basis and address new security issues as well as added features. Otherwise, you have to continuously recompile modules as opposed to yum update, and potentially end up with compilation software on the production system. Which is a security issue of its own.

The GetPageSpeed alternative is subscribing to NGINX Plus, which costs far more than a few dollars.