clink

clink is a super-minimal URL shortener written in C, built to be fast and small while staying easy to deploy. It uses the embedded Mongoose web server and is typically run behind a reverse proxy for HTTPS.

Key Features

• Very small binary size and low resource usage
• Embedded HTTP server via Mongoose (no heavy external runtime)
• Supports query-string based creation (useful for integrations that expect it)
• URL decoding support for encoded URLs
• Per-link deletion keys generated from a server-side seed
• Optional provided systemd unit and NGINX reverse-proxy configuration
• Includes a companion CLI utility (clinkctl) for administration

Use Cases

• Self-hosted link shortener for a personal domain or organization
• Short links for tools that require query-string based submission
• Lightweight redirect service for homelabs or internal networks

Limitations and Considerations

• No built-in blacklists/word filters for destinations or short codes
• HTTPS is expected to be handled by a reverse proxy (for example, NGINX)

clink is a good fit when you want a straightforward, no-frills shortener with minimal dependencies. Its tiny footprint and simple operational model make it especially attractive for small servers and homelabs.