LinkTinker

A modern, feature-rich URL shortener built with Laravel that allows you to create short, memorable links with optional expiration dates and click limits.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Features
• Screenshots
• Tech Stack
• Installation
• Environment Variables
• Usage
• Database Schema

Overview

LinkTinker is a powerful URL shortener that helps you create short, shareable links. It's built with Laravel and comes with features like custom slugs, link expiration, and click tracking. Whether you're sharing links on social media, in emails, or anywhere else, LinkTinker makes your links more manageable and trackable.

Features

• URL Shortening: Convert long URLs into short, shareable links
• Custom Slugs: Option to set custom short URLs (e.g., yourdomain.com/myslug)
• Link Expiration: Set expiration dates for your shortened links
• Click Limits: Restrict the number of times a link can be accessed
• Click Tracking: Monitor how many times each link has been clicked
• Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices
• Copy to Clipboard: One-click copy of shortened URLs
• Automatic Cleanup: Expired and maxed-out links are automatically deactivated

Screenshots

The clean and intuitive interface for creating short links

Tech Stack

• Backend: Laravel 12.x
• Frontend: Blade Templates, Tailwind CSS
• Database: MySQL/PostgreSQL/SQLite
• JavaScript: Vanilla JS for interactivity
• Deployment: Compatible with any PHP 8.3+ server

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/LinkTinker.git
   cd LinkTinker

2. Install PHP dependencies

   composer install

3. Install NPM dependencies

   npm install
   npm run build

4. Create and configure .env file

   cp .env.example .env
   php artisan key:generate

5. Configure your database Update the .env file with your database credentials:

   DB_CONNECTION=mysql
   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
   DB_PORT=3306
   DB_DATABASE=linktinker
   DB_USERNAME=your_username
   DB_PASSWORD=your_password
   

6. Run migrations

   php artisan migrate

7. Start the development server

   php artisan serve

8. Access the application Open your browser and visit: http://localhost:8000

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory and configure the following variables:

APP_NAME=LinkTinker
APP_ENV=local
APP_KEY=your_application_key
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_URL=http://localhost:8000

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=linktinker
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

# Optional: Set to true to force HTTPS URLs
FORCE_HTTPS=false

# Optional: Set your application timezone
timezone=UTC

# Optional: Configure mail settings if you want to enable email notifications
MAIL_MAILER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=mailhog
MAIL_PORT=1025
MAIL_USERNAME=null
MAIL_PASSWORD=null
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=null
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS="hello@example.com"
MAIL_FROM_NAME="${APP_NAME}"

Usage

1. Creating a Short Link

   • Visit the homepage
   • Enter your long URL
   • (Optional) Set a custom slug
   • (Optional) Set an expiration date
   • (Optional) Set a maximum number of clicks
   • Click "Shorten Link"
   • Copy your shortened URL

2. Accessing a Short Link

   • Simply visit the shortened URL
   • You'll be automatically redirected to the original URL

3. Link Expiration

   • If an expiration date is set, the link will stop working after that date
   • If a click limit is set, the link will stop working after reaching the maximum number of clicks

Database Schema

short_links Table

Column	Type	Description
id	bigint	Primary key
slug	string	The short URL identifier
url	string	The original URL
clicks	integer	Number of times the link has been clicked
max_clicks	integer	Maximum allowed clicks (null for unlimited)
expires_at	timestamp	Expiration date (null for never)
deleted_at	timestamp	For soft deletes
created_at	timestamp	When the link was created
updated_at	timestamp	When the link was last updated

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