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Shlink: Build Your Own URL Shortener Service

a year ago

Shlink is a self-hosted URL shortener built with PHP. Simply put, it's a tool that converts long URLs into short ones. But what makes it stand out from other services on the market?

  • Full Self-Control: Your data resides on your own server
  • Unlimited Usage: No worries about access limits or fees
  • Detailed Analytics: Clear visibility into click counts, geographic sources, and device types
  • API Support: Can be integrated into other applications
  • Custom Domains: Generate short links using your own domain

https://appstore.lazycat.cloud/#/shop/detail/cloud.lazycat.app.shlink

How to Use

After installing the application, open it to access the welcome page.

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Click on Shlink to enter the main page.

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Create a short link. Let's use Boss Wang's website as an example: https://manateelazycat.github.io/index.html

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The generated short link is https://shlink.lanmao168.heiyu.space/xf7tf

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Clicking on it opens the page correctly.

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It also offers more advanced configurations, such as support for using your own domain.

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You can modify the link's access duration and maximum number of visits.

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The number of visits can be viewed here.

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Once the time expires or the visit limit is reached, accessing the link will prompt that it is invalid.

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The principle behind Shlink is actually quite simple. Let me explain it with a real-life analogy:

Core Principle: It's like a library index card system.

Imagine a library's indexing system:

  • Traditional way: To find a book, you have to tell someone the full title, e.g., "Computer Science and Technology Fundamentals Tutorial Third Edition Revised"
  • Short link way: You just need to say "A001", and the librarian knows exactly which book you want.

Shlink is this "librarian":

  • Long URL = Full book title (e.g., https://www.example.com/articles/2024/how-to-learn-programming-for-beginners)
  • Short link = Index code (e.g., yourdomain.com/abc123)
  • Shlink service = The librarian (responsible for remembering the correspondence)

Summary

Shlink is a powerful and easy-to-deploy URL shortener service, particularly suitable for:

  • Developers who want to integrate short link functionality
  • Enterprise users seeking a professional image

Once set up, you have a fully controllable short link service at your disposal.

Author
天天