🔗 TinyLink - Modern URL Shortener

Your privacy-focused, self-hosted alternative to commercial URL shorteners.

💡 Why TinyLink?

TinyLink is a 100% open-source alternative to commercial URL shortening services, designed for individuals and organizations who value:

• Full Data Ownership: Your links, analytics, and user data stay on your servers, not in the cloud
• Enhanced Privacy: No third-party tracking or data collection from your shortened links
• Security First: Reduce phishing risks by having a trusted, self-hosted domain for all your shortened URLs
• No Vendor Lock-in: Freedom from subscription fees or unexpected service shutdowns
• Customization Freedom: Modify and extend the codebase to fit your exact requirements
• Unlimited Usage: Create as many shortened links as your infrastructure can handle

⚡ Quick Features

• Fast URL Shortening - Create shortened URLs in seconds
• Custom Short Codes - Choose your own memorable short codes
• Click Analytics - Track the performance of your links
• Secure Authentication - Protect your links with user accounts
• Modern UI - Beautiful, responsive interface using Tailwind CSS
• Self-Hosted - Full control over your link data and privacy

🚀 Quick Start

Standard Installation

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/lx-0/tiny-link.git
cd tinylink

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Setup environment variables
cp .env.development.sample .env.development

# Start the development server
npm run dev

Using Docker (Development)

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/lx-0/tiny-link.git
cd tinylink

# Copy environment variables for development
cp .env.development.sample .env.development

# Start the development environment
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up

Using Docker (Production)

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/lx-0/tiny-link.git
cd tinylink

# Copy and edit production environment variables
cp .env.production.sample .env.production
# Edit .env.production with your secure settings

# Start the production environment
docker compose up -d

Visit http://localhost:5000 in your browser.

📋 Requirements

Standard Installation

• Node.js 18+
• PostgreSQL 15+
• Modern web browser

Docker Installation (Alternative)

• Docker
• Docker Compose

🧩 Technology Stack

• Frontend: React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Shadcn UI
• Backend: Express.js, Node.js, TypeScript
• Database: PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM
• Authentication: Supabase Auth
• State Management: TanStack Query (React Query)

🔍 Features in Detail

URL Management

• Create short URLs with either auto-generated or custom codes
• Manage and organize your shortened links in one place
• Simple API for programmatic URL creation and management

Analytics Dashboard

Track clicks, referrers, and geographical data for your links with our built-in analytics:

• Total clicks over time
• Conversion rates
• Peak traffic times
• Device & browser statistics

User Management

Create and manage user accounts with different permission levels:

• Regular users can create and manage their own links
• Admin users can view and manage all links in the system
• Set custom expiration dates for links

🛠️ Configuration

TinyLink can be configured via environment variables:

# Supabase and database connection
SUPABASE_DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/tinylink
DB_SCHEMA=tinylink

# Supabase authentication
VITE_SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_url
VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_supabase_anon_key

# Application settings
NODE_ENV=development

Sample configuration files are provided:

• .env.development.sample - Template for development configuration
• .env.production.sample - Template for production configuration

Docker Configuration

Two Docker Compose configurations are provided:

1. Development (docker-compose.dev.yml):

   • Hot-reloading enabled
   • Source code is mounted as volumes
   • PostgreSQL database with exposed port
   • Uses .env.development for configuration
   • Automatic database schema initialization

2. Production (docker-compose.yml):

   • Optimized build with minimized dependencies
   • Database ports not exposed to the internet
   • Uses .env.production for configuration
   • Automatic container restarts
   • Database initialization service for first-time setup

Running with Docker

To run the development version:

# Copy the sample environment file first
cp .env.development.sample .env.development

# Edit the environment variables as needed
nano .env.development

# Start the services
docker-compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up

For production:

cp .env.production.sample .env.production
nano .env.production
docker-compose up -d

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🛡️ Security & Privacy Advantages

As an open-source, self-hosted solution, TinyLink offers significant advantages:

• No Data Mining: Your link data isn't being harvested for advertising or analytics
• Enhanced Trust: Users can trust links from your organization's domain instead of third-party services
• Custom Security Policies: Implement your own security requirements without limitations
• Compliance Friendly: Keep sensitive links within your regulatory boundaries (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• Transparency: The entire codebase is open for security review, with no hidden tracking or backdoors
• Audit Control: Full access to server logs and analytics data for security monitoring

🔄 Migrating from Commercial Services

TinyLink makes it easy to migrate from paid services:

1. Export links from your current service (most provide CSV export)
2. Import links using our API or bulk import tool
3. Update DNS to point your domain to your TinyLink instance
4. Enjoy freedom from subscription fees and privacy concerns

🙏 Acknowledgements

• This project was created in collaboration with AI assistance
• Icons provided by Lucide React
• UI Components by shadcn/ui
• Special thanks to the Drizzle ORM team for their amazing database tools