URL Shortener

A simple and efficient URL shortener built with Laravel. This application allows users to shorten long URLs, track redirections, and view analytics for each shortened URL.

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Features

• Shorten URLs: Convert long URLs into short, easy-to-share links.
• Redirection: Redirect users from the short URL to the original URL.
• Analytics: Track the number of redirections and view detailed logs.
• Caching: Improve performance with Redis.
• Custom Aliases: Optionally provide a custom alias for the short URL.

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Technologies Used

• Laravel: PHP framework for web applications.
• MySQL: Relational database for storing URLs and logs.
• Redis: In-memory caching for faster lookups.
• PHPUnit: For testing the application.

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Installation

Prerequisites

• PHP V8.2.12
• Composer V2.8.6
• MySQL
• Redis for caching

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/url-shortener.git
   cd url-shortener

2. Install dependencies:

   composer install

3. Set up the environment:
   • Copy the .env.example file to .env:

     cp .env.example .env

   • Update the .env file with your database and cache settings:

     DB_CONNECTION=mysql
     DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
     DB_PORT=3306
     DB_DATABASE=url_shortener
     DB_USERNAME=root
     DB_PASSWORD=
     
     CACHE_DRIVER=redis
     REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
     REDIS_PASSWORD=null
     REDIS_PORT=6379

4. Generate an application key:

   php artisan key:generate

5. Run migrations:

   php artisan migrate

6. Start the development server:

   php artisan serve

7. Access the application: Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:8000.

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Usage

Shorten a URL

Endpoint: POST /shorten

Request:

{
    "original_url": "https://example.com"
}

Response:

{
    "short_url": "http://localhost/abc123"
}

Redirect to Original URL

Endpoint: GET /{shortCode}

Example:

GET http://localhost/abc123

Response: Redirects to https://example.com.

View Analytics

Endpoint: GET /analytics/{shortCode}

Example:

GET http://localhost/analytics/abc123

Response:

{
    "original_url": "https://example.com",
    "short_url": "http://localhost/abc123",
    "redirect_count": 5,
    "redirects": [
        {
            "id": 1,
            "url_id": 1,
            "ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
            "user_agent": "PostmanRuntime/7.26.8",
            "referrer": null,
            "created_at": "2023-10-01T12:34:56.000000Z",
            "updated_at": "2023-10-01T12:34:56.000000Z"
        }
    ]
}