URLVanish URL Shortener API Documentation

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.

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.

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:

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}")

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

{
    "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:

URL Shortener API Rate Limiting

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

• 100 API requests per hour from the same IP address
• 1,000 API requests per day from the same IP address
• 10,000 API requests per month for unregistered users

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.

URL Characteristics and API Features

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

• Generated aliases are 8 characters long by default, optimizing for both brevity and uniqueness
• Custom aliases may consist of letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores for maximum flexibility
• All URLs created through the API are automatically marked with a "created_via_api" flag in our system for improved tracking and analytics
• URLs do not expire unless explicitly deleted, ensuring long-term reliability for your shortened links
• Our URL shortener API automatically handles redirects with proper 301 status codes for SEO preservation
• HTTPS is supported for all shortened URLs, maintaining security throughout the redirection process

Advanced URL Shortener API Features

URL Shortener API Best Practices

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

• Input Validation: Always validate user input before sending it to the API to prevent errors and security issues
• Error Handling: Implement proper error handling for failed requests to ensure a smooth user experience
• Caching: Cache shortened URLs on your end when practical to reduce API calls and improve performance
• HTTPS: Use HTTPS for all API communications to ensure secure data transmission
• Retry Logic: Implement exponential backoff for retries in case of temporary API failures
• Monitoring: Track API usage to stay within rate limits and plan for scaling as your application grows
• User Feedback: Provide clear feedback to users when shortening operations succeed or fail

URL Shortener API Use Cases

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

• Social Media Tools: Automatically shorten links for social media posts to save character space and track engagement
• Marketing Platforms: Create trackable campaign links with custom aliases for better marketing analytics
• Content Management Systems: Integrate URL shortening directly into your CMS for cleaner link sharing
• E-commerce: Generate short product links for easier sharing in emails and marketing materials
• Mobile Apps: Use our REST API for URL shortening to create shareable links from your mobile applications
• Messaging Systems: Automatically convert long URLs to short ones in chat applications for better readability

Frequently Asked Questions about URL Shortener API