URLVanish URL Shortener API Documentation

A comprehensive guide to integrating our powerful URL shortening service into your applications

Why Choose URLVanish API?

Integrate our powerful URL shortening capabilities directly into your applications, websites, or services with our developer-friendly REST API. Our URL shortener API provides fast, reliable, and secure link management for developers of all levels.

Introduction to URL Shortener API

The URLVanish URL Shortener API allows developers to programmatically create and manage shortened URLs using our robust and reliable service. This comprehensive documentation provides all the information you need to integrate our URL shortening capabilities into your applications, whether you're building a social media tool, content management system, marketing platform, or any other service that requires link management.

Tip: All requests to the API should use HTTPS to ensure secure communication and data protection. Our URL shortener API is designed with security in mind.

Authentication for URL Shortener API

The URLVanish URL Shortener API is currently open for public use without authentication requirements, making it one of the most accessible free URL shortener APIs available. This allows for quick implementation and testing in your development environment. However, we implement rate limiting to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage for all developers.

Note: We may introduce authentication requirements in the future to enhance security and provide premium features. Please check back regularly for updates to our URL shortener with API documentation.

Base URL for API Integration

All URL shortener API requests should be made to:

https://api.urlvanish.com/

URL Shortener API Endpoints

Our REST API for URL shortening provides straightforward endpoints for creating and managing shortened URLs. Below is the main endpoint for URL creation:

POST https://api.urlvanish.com/

Creates a shortened URL from a long URL using our URL shortening API service.

Request Parameters

Parameter Type Required Description
originalUrl string Yes The long URL you want to shorten through our API
customAlias string No A custom alias for the shortened URL (alphanumeric, dashes, and underscores only)
userId integer No User ID for authenticated users to associate the URL with their account for analytics and management

Response from URL Shortener API

On successful URL shortening, the API returns a JSON object with the following properties:

Property Type Description
status string "success" for successful URL shortening operations
alias string The full shortened URL created by our API
originalUrl string The original long URL that was shortened through our API

On error, the URL shortener API returns a JSON object with the following properties:

Property Type Description
status string "error" for failed URL shortening operations
message string A description of the error encountered during API usage

API Integration Examples

Below are code examples showing how to integrate our URL shortener API into various programming languages and frameworks:

curl -X POST https://api.urlvanish.com/ \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"originalUrl": "https://example.com/very-long-url-that-needs-shortening"}'
// Using fetch API to integrate URL shortener into JavaScript applications
async function createShortUrl(originalUrl) {
    try {
        const response = await fetch('https://api.urlvanish.com/', {
            method: 'POST',
            headers: {
                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            },
            body: JSON.stringify({ originalUrl }),
        });
        
        const data = await response.json();
        
        if (data.status === 'success') {
            console.log('Shortened URL from API:', data.alias);
            return data.alias;
        } else {
            console.error('Error using URL shortener API:', data.message);
            return null;
        }
    } catch (error) {
        console.error('URL shortener API request failed:', error);
        return null;
    }
}

// Example usage of our URL shortener API
createShortUrl('https://example.com/very-long-url-that-needs-shortening');
<?php
/**
 * URLVanish URL Shortener API Integration Example for PHP
 */
function createShortUrl($originalUrl) {
    $data = [
        'originalUrl' => $originalUrl
    ];
    
    $options = [
        'http' => [
            'header'  => "Content-type: application/json\r\n",
            'method'  => 'POST',
            'content' => json_encode($data)
        ]
    ];
    
    $context  = stream_context_create($options);
    $result = file_get_contents('https://api.urlvanish.com/', false, $context);
    
    if ($result === FALSE) {
        return null;
    }
    
    $response = json_decode($result, true);
    
    if ($response['status'] === 'success') {
        return $response['alias']; // Return shortened URL from API
    } else {
        error_log('URL Shortener API Error: ' . $response['message']);
        return null;
    }
}

// Example usage of URL shortener API in PHP
$shortUrl = createShortUrl('https://example.com/very-long-url-that-needs-shortening');
echo $shortUrl;
?>
import requests
import json

def create_short_url(original_url):
    """
    URLVanish URL Shortener API Integration for Python
    Creates a shortened URL using the URLVanish API service
    
    :param original_url: The long URL to be shortened
    :return: Shortened URL string or None if error
    """
    url = 'https://api.urlvanish.com/'
    data = {
        'originalUrl': original_url
    }
    
    headers = {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
    
    response = requests.post(url, data=json.dumps(data), headers=headers)
    
    if response.status_code == 200:
        result = response.json()
        if result['status'] == 'success':
            return result['alias']  # Return the shortened URL from API
        else:
            print(f"URL Shortener API Error: {result['message']}")
            return None
    else:
        print(f"URL Shortener API request failed with status code: {response.status_code}")
        return None

# Example usage of our URL shortener API in Python
short_url = create_short_url('https://example.com/very-long-url-that-needs-shortening')
print(f"Shortened URL: {short_url}")

API Response Examples

Success Response from URL Shortener API:

{
    "status": "success",
    "alias": "https://urlvanish.com/a1b2c3d4",
    "originalUrl": "https://example.com/very-long-url-that-needs-shortening"
}

Error Response from URL Shortener API:

{
    "status": "error",
    "message": "Missing required parameter: originalUrl."
}

URL Shortener API Error Codes and Messages

Understanding error responses is crucial for effective integration of our URL shortener API. Below are common error messages you may encounter:

Message Description
"Missing required parameter: originalUrl." The original URL was not provided in the API request. This parameter is required for shortening URLs.
"Alias already exists. Please choose a different alias." The requested custom alias is already in use in our URL shortener database. Try a different custom alias.
"Invalid HTTP method. Please use POST." The API endpoint was accessed with a method other than POST. Our URL shortener API requires POST requests.
"Database connection failed: [error details]" There was an issue connecting to the URL shortener database. This is an internal server issue.
"Invalid URL format. Please provide a valid URL." The provided originalUrl does not conform to a valid URL format. Check URL syntax.
"URL contains malicious content and was blocked." Our security system detected potential harmful content in the URL. We block such URLs to protect users.

URL Shortener API Rate Limiting

To ensure fair usage of our free URL shortener API and prevent abuse, we implement the following rate limits:

Exceeding these limits will result in 429 (Too Many Requests) responses until the rate limit period expires. For production applications requiring higher limits, consider registering for an account.

Warning: Persistent abuse of the URL shortener API may result in permanent IP blocks. We monitor usage patterns to ensure the stability and availability of our service for all users.

URL Characteristics and API Features

Understanding the characteristics of URLs generated through our API helps in better integration:

Advanced URL Shortener API Features

Analytics Integration

For registered users, our URL shortener provides detailed analytics on shortened URLs, including click counts.

Security Features

Our URL shortener API includes malicious URL detection, HTTPS support, and privacy protection features to ensure safe link sharing.

High Performance

Built on a distributed architecture, our URL shortener with API offers fast response times and high availability for enterprise-grade applications.

Customization Options

Beyond basic shortening, our API allows for custom aliases, branded domains (premium), and redirect customization options.

URL Shortener API Best Practices

Follow these best practices to get the most out of our URL shortener API integration:

URL Shortener API Use Cases

Our URL shortener API is versatile and can be integrated into various applications:

Frequently Asked Questions about URL Shortener API

Is the URLVanish URL shortener API completely free?

Yes, our URL shortener API is free to use with generous rate limits.

Can I use the URL shortener API in production environments?

Absolutely! Our URL shortener with API is designed for production use, with high reliability and performance. Many businesses rely on our API for critical link shortening needs.

Are there SDK or client libraries available for your URL shortener API?

We're currently developing official SDK libraries for popular programming languages. In the meantime, the API examples provided in this documentation offer a straightforward integration path.

Ready to Integrate URL Shortening?

Start using our powerful URL shortener API today and transform how you manage links in your applications.