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URL shortening and link management service for creating concise, trackable links with analytics
GitHub Pages URL Shortener
Serverless URL shortener hosted entirely on GitHub Pages
A minimal, free URL shortener that runs on GitHub Pages, using GitHub issues as a lightweight database—no servers, no maintenance, clean short links like ccb.wtf/1.
Overview
Overview
The GitHub Pages URL Shortener provides a completely serverless way to create short links. By leveraging GitHub Issues as a lightweight, version‑controlled datastore, each issue title stores the destination URL while the issue number becomes the short path (e.g., ccb.wtf/1). The solution runs entirely on static GitHub Pages, requiring no backend infrastructure or ongoing maintenance.
Getting Started
To deploy, fork the repository, enable GitHub Pages on the main branch, and optionally add a CNAME file for a custom domain. Adjust the PATH_SEGMENTS_TO_SKIP and GITHUB_ISSUES_LINK variables in 404.html to match your domain and repository. New short URLs are created by opening an issue whose title contains the full target URL. The built‑in JavaScript fetches the issue via the GitHub API and redirects visitors instantly. While the approach is inexpensive and ideal for personal or low‑traffic projects, it relies on GitHub API rate limits and lacks built‑in analytics, making it less suitable for high‑volume or enterprise scenarios.
Highlights
Zero‑cost hosting on GitHub Pages, no server required
Uses GitHub issues as a simple, version‑controlled datastore
Clean short URLs without hash fragments (e.g., ccb.wtf/1)
Easy customization for personal domains via CNAME and config variables
Pros
- Free forever on GitHub
- Fully serverless, minimal maintenance
- Transparent data stored as GitHub issues (audit trail)
- Simple setup with only HTML/JS files
Considerations
- Relies on GitHub API rate limits
- Not suited for high‑traffic or mission‑critical use
- URL updates require creating new issues (no edit UI)
- Hacky implementation may break with GitHub changes
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Fit guide
Great for
- Developers who need quick, low‑cost short links for projects
- Open‑source documentation sites wanting branded URLs
- Hobbyists experimenting with serverless patterns
- Teams already using GitHub for issue tracking
Not ideal when
- Enterprises requiring SLA guarantees
- High‑volume URL redirection services
- Use cases needing analytics or click tracking
- Environments where reliance on external GitHub API is prohibited
How teams use it
Project documentation linking
Provide concise, memorable links to docs hosted on GitHub Pages
Conference speaker slides
Create short URLs for slide decks that can be shared on social media
Personal portfolio branding
Map custom domain short links to portfolio pages without extra hosting costs
CLI tool integration
Generate short URLs via issue creation for automated release notes
Tech snapshot
HTML100%
Frequently asked questions
How does the shortener store URLs?
It stores the target URL as the title of a GitHub issue; the 404.html script fetches the issue via the GitHub API and redirects.
Do I need a server or database?
No, everything runs client‑side on GitHub Pages.
Can I use my own domain?
Yes, by forking the repo, adding a CNAME file, and updating the configuration variables as described.
What are the limitations?
Rate limits on the GitHub API, no built‑in analytics, and the approach is considered hacky—not recommended for production‑critical services.
How do I create a new short link?
Open a new issue in the repository; set the issue title to the full URL you want to shorten. The issue number becomes the short path.
Project at a glance
Dormant- Stars
- 1,404
- Watchers
- 1,404
- Forks
- 549
LicenseGPL-3.0
Repo age5 years old
Last commit2 years ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageHTML
Last synced 3 hours ago