Chhoto URL

Chhoto URL is a simple, self-hosted URL shortener designed to be fast and minimal, avoiding unnecessary features. It provides a small web app and CLI-oriented workflows for creating and managing short links.

Key Features

• Create shortened links with optional random slug generation
• Web application for basic URL shortening workflows
• CLI usage support for automation and scripting
• Designed for high performance with a small footprint
• Container-friendly deployment (commonly used with Docker/Compose)

Use Cases

• Running a private link shortener for a homelab or organization
• Creating short links for internal documentation and tools
• Automating short-link creation in scripts or simple workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses a database-backed store; enabling SQLite WAL mode is recommended for better reliability/performance
• For large numbers of links, longer UID-style slugs are recommended to avoid collisions and creation failures
• For mission-critical use, regular versioned database backups are advised

Chhoto URL is a good fit when you want a no-frills URL shortener that is easy to deploy, fast, and focused on the core feature set. Its minimalist approach makes it especially suitable for private deployments and straightforward link management.