UrlShort

A FastAPI-based URL Shortener service that allows users to convert long URLs into shortened links, and redirect users to the original URLs using the short codes.

Features

• Shorten long URLs with a unique short code
• Redirect users from short code to the original URL
• PostgreSQL-backed persistent storage
• Fast and lightweight, built with FastAPI

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Endpoints

POST /shorten

Description: Accepts a long URL and returns a shortened version.
Request Body:

{
  "long_url": "https://example.com"
}

Response:

{
  "short_url": "http://localhost:8000/abc123"
}

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GET /{short_code}

Description: Redirects the user to the original long URL associated with the short code.

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Database Setup

This project uses PostgreSQL as its database. Ensure the following environment variables are set:

Variable	Description
DB_HOST	Hostname of the PostgreSQL server
DB_PORT	Port number (usually 5432)
DB_USER	Username for the database
DB_PASS	Password for the database
DB_NAME	Database name

The database should have a table called urls with the following schema:

CREATE TABLE urls (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    long_url TEXT NOT NULL,
    short_code TEXT UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT NOW()
);

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Getting Started

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-username/urlshort.git
cd urlshort

2. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Set Environment Variables

You can use a .env file or export variables directly in your terminal:

export DB_HOST=localhost
export DB_PORT=5432
export DB_USER=your_user
export DB_PASS=your_password
export DB_NAME=your_db

4. Run the Server

uvicorn app.main:app --reload

The API will be available at: http://localhost:8000

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Project Structure

urlshort/
├── app/                      # Application module
│   ├── database.py           # DB connection setup
│   ├── main.py               # FastAPI routes & logic
│   └── models.py             # SQLAlchemy models/schema
│
├── output_IMG/               # API flow screenshots
│   ├── DB.png
│   ├── GetRequest.png
│   └── PostRequest.png
│
├── .env                      # Environment variables
├── .gitignore                # Git ignored files
├── README.md                 # Project documentation
└── requirements.txt          # Python dependencies

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