URL shortener

This project is a basic URL shortening API built using the technology of your choice. It enables users to generate short URLs for long links, track the number of clicks on each short URL, and provides redirection to the original URL.

Features

• Shorten a URL: Takes a long URL and generates a unique, shorter URL.
• Redirect to Original URL: Redirects users to the original URL when they access the short link, and increments a click count.
• Track Clicks: Keeps track of the number of times a shortened URL is accessed.
• Retrieve Original URL and Click Count: Provides endpoints to retrieve the original URL and the total click count for a given shortened URL.

Environment Variables

• BASE_URL: The base URL for generating shortened links (e.g., http://localhost or a production URL).
• PORT: Port on which the server will listen (defaults to 3033 if not specified).

API Endpoints

1. Shorten a URL

• Endpoint: POST /shorten
• Description: Shortens a given long URL and returns the shortened version.
• Request Body:
  • url (string, required): The long URL to be shortened.
• Response:
  • success:
    • Response status: 201 Created
    • Response body : {shortUrl: "example.com/shortened"}
  • failure:
    • Response status: 400 Bad Request
    • Returned if the URL is invalid.

2. Redirect to Original URL

• Endpoint: GET /:shortId
• Description: Redirects the user to the original URL associated with the given short ID and increments the click count.
• Path Parameter:
  • shortId (string, required): The unique ID associated with the shortened URL.
• Response:
  • 302 Found: Redirects to the original URL.
  • 404 Not Found: Returned if the short ID does not exist.

3. Retrieve Original URL and Click Count

• Endpoint: GET /:shortId/stats
• Description: Retrieves the original long URL and the click count for a given short ID.
• Path Parameter:
  • shortId (string, required): The unique ID associated with the shortened URL.
• Response:
  • success:
    • Response status: 200 OK
    • Response body : { longUrl: "www.example.com", clickCount: 1 }
  • failure:
    • Response status: 404 Not Found
    • Returned if the short ID does not exist.

Future Improvements

• Database Integration: Replace in-memory storage with a database (e.g., MongoDB, PostgreSQL) for persistence.
• Enhanced Analytics: Track additional metrics such as timestamps, referrer URLs, and unique clicks.
• Custom URL Aliases: Allow users to specify custom aliases for their short URLs.
• User Authentication: Enable user accounts to manage URLs and view personalized click analytics.

The server will run on the specified port or default to 3033.

Example .env File

BASE_URL=http://localhost:3033
PORT=3033

Notes

• This project is currently configured with in-memory storage, meaning data will be lost when the server restarts.
• For production deployment, integrate with a database and secure the server with HTTPS.