Mini URL Shortener

A simple URL shortener web application built with Node.js, Express.js, and EJS templating engine. This application allows users to create short URLs for long web addresses and stores the mappings in a local JSON file.

Features

• URL Submission Form: Users can submit long URLs through a simple web form
• Short URL Generation: Generates unique 6-character alphanumeric short IDs
• Data Persistence: Stores URL mappings in a local urls.json file using Node.js fs module
• URL Display: Shows all existing shortened URLs on the homepage with clickable links
• Redirection: Redirects users to original URLs when they visit short links
• Click Tracking: Tracks how many times each short URL has been clicked
• Error Handling: Gracefully handles missing URLs and invalid inputs

Technology Stack

• Backend: Node.js with Express.js framework
• View Engine: EJS (Embedded JavaScript Templates)
• Data Storage: JSON file with Node.js fs module
• Styling: Inline CSS for responsive design

Project Structure

url-shortener/
├── app.js              # Main server file
├── package.json        # Project dependencies and scripts
├── views/              # EJS templates
│   ├── index.ejs       # Homepage with form and URL list
│   └── error.ejs       # Error page for invalid short URLs
├── public/             # Static assets served by Express
│   └── css/            # Stylesheets
│       ├── homepage.css # Homepage styles
│       └── error.css   # Error page styles
├── data/               # Data storage
│   └── urls.json       # JSON file storing URL mappings
└── README.md          # This file

Installation & Setup

1. Clone or download this project

   git clone https://github.com/KIRITO-899/URL_Shortner.git
   cd URL_Shortner

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Start the server

   npm start

   Or for development:

   npm run dev

4. Open your browser Navigate to http://localhost:3000

How to Use

1. Shorten a URL:

   • Open the application in your browser
   • Enter a long URL in the form (e.g., https://www.example.com/very/long/path)
   • Click "Shorten URL"
   • The short URL will be generated and displayed

2. Use the short URL:

   • Click on any generated short URL to be redirected to the original URL
   • Share the short URL with others

3. View statistics:

   • The homepage shows all your shortened URLs
   • Each URL displays creation date and click count

API Endpoints

• GET / - Homepage with form and URL list
• POST /shorten - Create a new short URL
• GET /:shortId - Redirect to original URL

Data Format

The urls.json file stores URL mappings in the following format:

{
  "abc123": {
    "originalUrl": "https://example.com/very/long/url",
    "shortId": "abc123",
    "createdAt": "2024-01-01T12:00:00.000Z",
    "clicks": 5
  }
}

Error Handling

• Invalid URLs: Shows error message for malformed URLs
• Missing short URLs: Displays 404 error page for non-existent short IDs
• File system errors: Gracefully handles read/write errors to the JSON file

Customization

• Port: Change the port by setting the PORT environment variable
• Short ID length: Modify the generateShortId() function in app.js
• Styling: Update the CSS in the EJS templates for custom appearance

Development Notes

• The application creates the data directory and urls.json file automatically if they don't exist
• Short IDs are generated randomly and checked for uniqueness
• The application uses Express built-in middleware for parsing form data
• All timestamps are stored in ISO format for consistency

Requirements Met

✅ URL submission form
✅ Short URL generation (6-character alphanumeric)
✅ Data persistence with fs module
✅ URL display on homepage
✅ Redirection functionality
✅ Error handling for missing URLs
✅ Express.js routing
✅ EJS templating
✅ JSON file storage

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.