Shlink

Shlink is a self-hosted URL shortener built around a robust REST API, designed for creating and managing short links at scale. It supports multiple ways to interact with the service (API, CLI, and companion web UI) and includes detailed tracking and operational features.

Key Features

• REST API-first design for creating, resolving, and managing short URLs
• Web UI available via the companion project (Shlink Web Client) for link and analytics management
• Detailed visit analytics (visits over time, referrers, user agents, countries/cities when available)
• QR code generation for short URLs (downloadable/embeddable)
• Custom domains and per-link domain selection
• Custom slugs, link expiration, and maximum-visit limits
• Tagging and search/filtering of short URLs
• Multiple storage backends supported (commonly relational DBs like MariaDB/MySQL/PostgreSQL)

Use Cases

• Replace hosted shorteners for marketing links with privacy-controlled analytics
• Create shareable short links and QR codes for printed materials and events
• Provide an internal link shortener for teams, docs, and tooling via API/CLI

Limitations and Considerations

• Geolocation analytics depend on IP-to-geo databases/configuration and may be less precise behind proxies/VPNs if not configured correctly.

Shlink fits teams and individuals who need a reliable short-link platform with strong automation support. Its API-centric approach and companion tools make it suitable both for ad-hoc usage and integration into existing systems.