Little Link - URL Shortener

A Django-based URL shortener web application that allows users to create, manage, and track shortened URLs.

Live Demo: https://prashantmaharjan.pythonanywhere.com

Usage

Once you register and login, create a short URL and then you can access it using this format:

https://prashantmaharjan.pythonanywhere.com/your-short-code

Examples:

• Custom URL: https://prashantmaharjan.pythonanywhere.com/my-task
• Auto-generated: https://prashantmaharjan.pythonanywhere.com/aB3x9K
• Any short code: https://prashantmaharjan.pythonanywhere.com/your-custom-slug

The short URL will automatically redirect to your original long URL.

Features

Core Features

• User Authentication: Secure user registration, login, and logout system
• URL Shortening: Convert long URLs to short 6-character codes
• Custom Short URLs: Option to create custom aliases for shortened URLs
• URL Management: View, edit, and delete created short URLs
• Click Analytics: Track and display click counts for each shortened URL
• Redirect System: Automatic redirection from short URLs to original destinations

URL Management

• Dashboard: Overview of all created URLs with statistics
• Edit URLs: Modify destination URLs while preserving short codes
• Delete URLs: Remove unwanted short URLs with confirmation
• Recent Links: Quick access to recently created short URLs

Security Features

• User authentication required for URL management
• Users can only access and modify their own URLs
• Secure password handling with Django's authentication system
• Input validation for URLs and custom slugs

Additional Features Implemented

Custom URL Shortening

• Users can create memorable custom short codes instead of random strings
• Custom slug validation to ensure availability and proper formatting
• Automatic fallback to random generation if no custom slug provided

User Experience

• Responsive Bootstrap-based UI works on all devices
• Success and error message notifications
• Clean, intuitive interface for URL management
• Redirect page with automatic and manual navigation options

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• Django 5.2+
• PostgreSQL (recommended) or SQLite

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/PrashantMhrzn/Little-Link.git
   cd Little-Link

2. Create virtual environment

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure database

   python manage.py migrate

5. Create superuser

   python manage.py createsuperuser

6. Run development server

   python manage.py runserver

Usage

1. Registration: Create a new account through the registration page
2. Login: Access your dashboard with your credentials
3. Create Short URL:
   • Enter the destination URL
   • Optionally provide a custom slug
   • Generate the short URL
4. Manage URLs: View, edit, or delete your shortened URLs from the dashboard
5. Track Analytics: Monitor click counts for each shortened URL

API Endpoints

• / - Home page
• /dashboard/ - User dashboard
• /login/ - User login
• /register/ - User registration
• /logout/ - User logout
• /create_short_url/ - Create new short URL
• /edit/<url_id>/ - Edit existing URL
• /delete/<url_id>/ - Delete URL
• /<short_url>/ - Redirect to original URL

Technology Stack

• Backend: Django 5.2, Python 3.13
• Frontend: HTML5, Bootstrap 5, Django Templates
• Database: SQLite
• Authentication: Django built-in authentication system

Custom Short Code Generation

The application uses a custom key generation system that:

• Generates 6-character codes using random selection
• Ensures uniqueness by checking against existing codes in the database
• Provides fallback mechanism for collisions