YOURLS

YOURLS (Your Own URL Shortener) is a set of PHP scripts for running your own branded URL shortener on your domain. It provides full control over short links and includes built-in statistics and an API for automation and integrations.

Key Features

• Create and manage short URLs on your own domain
• Detailed click statistics with historical reports
• Referrer tracking and visitor geolocation insights
• Developer-friendly API for programmatic link creation and management
• Bookmarklets for quick shortening from the browser
• Extensible plugin architecture with a large plugin ecosystem

Use Cases

• Run a branded link shortener for a company, community, or personal domain
• Track engagement on shared links with referrers and click analytics
• Integrate link shortening into internal tools via the API

Limitations and Considerations

• Core storage is typically backed by a relational database; performance depends on database tuning and traffic patterns
• Advanced features (custom workflows, moderation, additional analytics) may require third-party plugins

YOURLS is a mature, lightweight option for operating a private URL shortener with solid analytics and customization. It is well suited for teams and individuals who want ownership of link data and flexible extensibility via plugins and API access.