URL Shortener API with Node.js and MongoDB

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on building a URL Shortener API using Node.js, Express, and MongoDB. This project demonstrates how to create a RESTful backend for shortening URLs, redirecting to original URLs, and tracking analytics.

Introduction to the URL Shortener API

The URL Shortener API is a backend service that allows users to:

• ✂️ Transform long URLs into short, shareable links.
• 🔁 Redirect seamlessly from short URLs to original URLs.
• 📊 Monitor the performance of shortened URLs through analytics.

This project is ideal for learning how REST APIs work, managing a MongoDB database using Mongoose, and structuring a scalable Node.js backend.

Project Setup

To run this API on your machine, follow these steps:

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/gautamkaran/URL-Shortener-api.git
cd URL-Shortener-api

2. Install Dependencies

npm install

3. Create .env File

Add your MongoDB URI and port in a new .env file:

PORT=3000
MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://your-username:your-password@cluster0.lxl3fsq.mongodb.net
CORS_ORIGIN=*

4. Run the Application

npm run dev

The server will start on http://localhost:3000

API Features

✂️ URL Shortening

Endpoint: POST /api/shorten

Request Body:

{
  "originalUrl": "https://www.example.com/very/long/url"
}

Response:

{
  "shortUrl": "http://localhost:3000/abc123"
}

🔁 Redirect to Original URL

Accessing the short URL will redirect you to the original URL.

Example:

GET http://localhost:3000/abc123

📊 Analytics

Endpoint: GET /api/analytics/:shortId

Response:

{
  "originalUrl": "https://www.example.com/very/long/url",
  "shortUrl": "http://localhost:3000/abc123",
  "clicks": 10
}

Tech Stack

• Node.js – JavaScript runtime
• Express.js – Web framework
• MongoDB – NoSQL database
• Mongoose – ODM for MongoDB
• dotenv – For managing environment variables

Folder Structure

URL-Shortener-api/
│
├── public/              # Static files
├── src/                 # Source code
│   ├── controllers/     # Route controllers
│   ├── models/          # Mongoose models
│   ├── routes/          # API routes
│   └── utils/           # Utility functions
├── .env                 # Environment variables
├── package.json         # Dependencies
└── README.md

Sample Data Flow

1. User sends a POST request to /api/shorten

   • The original URL is stored in MongoDB with a generated short ID.

2. User accesses the short URL

   • The service redirects to the original URL and increments the click count.

3. User sends a GET request to /api/analytics/:shortId

   • The service returns the original URL, short URL, and total clicks.

Ideal Use Cases

• 🔗 Sharing long URLs in a concise format.
• 📈 Tracking the number of clicks on shared links.
• 🧑‍💻 Backend practice for developers learning Node.js and MongoDB.

Author

Karan Kumar Gautam
🔗 GitHub | 🌐 LinkedIn

License

MIT – Use it freely in your projects

Conclusion

This URL Shortener API project is a great way to get hands-on experience with REST APIs, MongoDB, and Node.js. It’s clean, easy to extend, and ready to be used in real applications.

Happy coding!