YOURLS

YOURLS (Your Own URL Shortener) is a PHP application for running a private URL shortening service under your own domain. It provides a web interface and an API to create, manage, and track short links, with extensibility via plugins and themes.

Key Features

• Create short URLs for long links using sequential IDs or custom keywords
• Public or private mode (use as an internal shortener or an open service)
• Link analytics: click counts and referrer tracking for each short URL
• Admin web interface for managing links, keywords, titles, and stats
• Developer-friendly API for automation and third-party integrations
• Plugin system to extend behavior (authentication, spam controls, custom formats, etc.)
• Custom URL structures (e.g., prefixing, reserved keywords) and configurable redirects

Use Cases

• Branded short links for marketing campaigns and social media posts
• Internal link shortener for teams (docs, ticket links, shared resources)
• Programmatic short-link generation via API for apps and automation workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a traditional LAMP/LEMP-style stack (PHP + MySQL/MariaDB) and ongoing patching like any web app
• Built-in analytics are basic compared to dedicated marketing analytics suites

YOURLS is a mature, widely-used option for organizations that want full control over short-link domains and data. It fits well when you need simple link management, dependable redirects, and lightweight per-link statistics with the option to extend via plugins.