Bitly
URL shortening and link management service for creating concise, trackable links with analytics
Open-Source Projects
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Discover top open-source software, updated regularly with real-world adoption signals.
Self-hosted URL shortener with API, CLI, and Docker
Shlink lets you run your own URL shortener on any domain, offering a REST API, command-line tools, QR code generation, and Docker deployment for full control and privacy.
Shlink is a PHP‑based URL shortener you can host on your own domain. It targets developers and teams that need a private, API‑first solution for creating, tracking and managing short links. The platform provides a REST API, a full‑featured command‑line interface, and an optional web client, plus built‑in QR‑code generation.
Run Shlink on any server with PHP 8.3 or newer and the required extensions (json, curl, pdo, intl, gd, gmp/bcmath, etc.). It supports MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server and SQLite via the appropriate PDO driver. For containerized environments, an official Docker image lets you configure the service through environment variables and start it with a single command. After installation, the shlink-installer script guides you through database setup and generates an API key for secure access.
Because Shlink is built on the Laminas/Mezzio stack, you can extend it with custom middleware, integrate RabbitMQ for asynchronous processing, or enable APCu caching for performance. The project is MIT‑licensed and actively maintained.
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Marketing campaign tracking
Generate branded short links with QR codes for offline media and collect click analytics via the API.
Internal documentation
Create short, searchable URLs for intranet resources, improving navigation and reducing broken links.
CI/CD integration
Automate link creation from build pipelines using the REST API, ensuring consistent short URLs across releases.
Analytics dashboard
Retrieve click statistics through the API and feed them into custom reporting tools or BI platforms.
MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server and SQLite via the appropriate PDO drivers.
Pull the official Docker image, set required environment variables (e.g., database credentials), and start the container. The image includes all needed extensions.
Generate an API key with `bin/cli api-key:generate` and include it in the `Authorization` header of each request.
Yes. QR‑code generation in SVG format is built in and requires the PHP `xml` extension.
Project at a glance
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