diff --git a/build/hosts/default b/build/hosts/default
index c68dde8..396e3e6 100644
--- a/build/hosts/default
+++ b/build/hosts/default
@@ -134,5 +134,29 @@ LIBS     += -L$(HDF5DIR)/lib
 endif
 LIBS     += -lhdf5_fortran -lhdf5
 endif
+
+# compression for binary files of the XML+binary format
+#
+ifeq ($(ZSTD),Y)
+FFLAGS   += -DZSTD
+ifneq ($(ZSTDDIR),)
+LIBS     += -L$(ZSTDDIR)/lib
+endif
+LIBS     += -lzstd
+endif
+ifeq ($(LZ4),Y)
+FFLAGS   += -DLZ4
+ifneq ($(LZ4DIR),)
+LIBS     += -L$(LZ4DIR)/lib
+endif
+LIBS     += -llz4
+endif
+ifeq ($(LZMA),Y)
+FFLAGS   += -DLZMA
+ifneq ($(LZMADIR),)
+LIBS     += -L$(LZMADIR)/lib
+endif
+LIBS     += -llzma
+endif
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/build/make.default b/build/make.default
index 46af636..ca24356 100644
--- a/build/make.default
+++ b/build/make.default
@@ -20,11 +20,24 @@ SIGNALS      = N
 #
 MPI          = N
 
+# output data format:
+#
 #   OUTPUT       - the format of the alternative data output;
-#                  supported alternative formats: HDF5
+#                  default format XML+binary does not require setting this flag;
+#                  alternative supported formats: HDF5
 #
 OUTPUT       =
 
+# compression support for XML+binary format:
+#
+#   ZSTD         - enable support for Zstandard compression;
+#   LZ4          - enable support for LZ4 compression;
+#   LZMA         - enable support for LZMA compression;
+#
+ZSTD         = N
+LZ4          = N
+LZMA         = N
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # geometry: