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SinTan1729

SinTan1729/chhoto-url

A minimal self-hosted URL shortener written in Rust, with hit counting, link expiry, custom slugs and no tracking.

Open-source alternative to:Bitly

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What is it?

Chhoto URL is a self-hosted URL shortener built around simplicity and a small footprint. It turns long URLs into randomly generated short links, and users can optionally choose their own short slug instead. Opening a short link redirects straight to the target URL without an intermediate page.

The project is backed by SQLite and runs as a Rust backend on Actix Web with a plain HTML and vanilla JavaScript frontend. It is distributed as a Docker container, with a compose file provided, and the README describes Alpine and scratch-based images. Features include automatic link expiry, per-link hit counts recorded without other visitor data, editing of links after creation, notes with filtering, QR code generation, and OIDC login.

Administration uses a password or API key, and a public mode lets anyone create links while admin access is needed to delete or list them. The frontend can be disabled entirely, and a custom site title and landing page are supported. Long links are limited to https, http, ftp and magnet by default, with more protocols configurable.

Key features

  • 01Generates random short links or lets you choose a custom slug.
  • 02Links expire automatically after a set time.
  • 03Counts hits per link without recording other visitor data.
  • 04Supports OIDC login, API keys and hashed passwords.
  • 05Runs as a small Docker container backed by SQLite.
  • 06Offers a public mode where anyone can create links without logging in.

Use cases

  • Running a private link shortener for a personal domain or small team.
  • Sharing links with QR codes and tracking how often they are opened.
  • Creating temporary links that expire automatically.
  • Offering a public link-creation service with admin-only management.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Follow the installation and configuration guide in docs/INSTALLATION.md

Things to know

  • Basic password authentication is not encrypted in transit, so a reverse proxy with SSL such as Caddy is recommended.
  • There is no user management, so it is not suited to organization-wide multi-user use without separate instances.

In collections

Self-hosted appsDatabases & SQL tools

Topics

#url-shortener#self-hosted#rust#docker#sqlite#actix-web#compose#container#link-shortener#podman

FAQ

What is chhoto-url?
A minimal self-hosted URL shortener written in Rust, with hit counting, link expiry, custom slugs and no tracking. Chhoto URL is a self-hosted URL shortener built around simplicity and a small footprint. It turns long URLs into randomly generated short links, and users can optionally choose their own short slug instead. Opening a short link redirects straight to the target URL without an intermediate page.
Is chhoto-url free to use? What license does it have?
chhoto-url is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is chhoto-url still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to chhoto-url was on Nov 7, 2026.
What can I use chhoto-url for?
Running a private link shortener for a personal domain or small team. Sharing links with QR codes and tracking how often they are opened. Creating temporary links that expire automatically. Offering a public link-creation service with admin-only management.
How do I install chhoto-url?
Follow the installation and configuration guide in docs/INSTALLATION.md
Where can I get chhoto-url?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/SinTan1729/chhoto-url

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