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thedevs-network/kutt

Kutt is a self-hostable URL shortener with custom domains, link statistics, an admin panel and a RESTful API.

Open-source alternative to:Bitly

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What is it?

Kutt is a URL shortener that you can run on your own server or use through the hosted kutt.to service. It lets users create and edit short links, set custom URLs, passwords, descriptions and expiration times, and view private statistics for each link. Admins can manage users and links from a dedicated admin page.

For self-hosting, Kutt needs only Node.js 20 or later and uses SQLite by default, with optional Postgres, MySQL or MariaDB and Redis for caching. Docker Compose files are provided for several database setups, and the app is configured through environment variables. Registration, anonymous links, and email/password login can be disabled, and OpenID Connect login is supported.

Kutt also offers a RESTful API, custom theme support through a `/custom` folder for CSS, images and Handlebars views, and browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. Community clients exist for languages including Python, Go, Rust and C#.

Key features

  • 01Custom domain support for short links
  • 02Create, edit, and delete links with custom URLs, passwords and expiration
  • 03Private statistics for each shortened URL
  • 04Admin page for managing users and links
  • 05RESTful API for programmatic link management
  • 06Supports SQLite, Postgres, and MySQL/MariaDB, with optional Redis cache

Use cases

  • Hosting a private URL shortener for a team or organization on your own domain
  • Shortening links with statistics while keeping data on your own infrastructure
  • Adding short-link creation to scripts or apps through the API
  • Restricting an instance to invited users by disabling registration and anonymous links

Quick start

  1. 1

    Clone this repository or download the latest zip

  2. 2

    Install dependencies

    npm install
  3. 3

    Initialize the database

    npm run migrate
  4. 4

    Start the app for development (or use npm start for production)

    npm run dev

Things to know

  • Requires Node.js 20 or above.
  • JWT_SECRET must be set to a long random string in production.
  • Registration is disabled by default and needs email enabled to sign up new users.

Topics

#url-shortener#link-shortener#nodejs#self-hosted#docker#rest-api#shorten-urls#shortener#urlshortener

FAQ

What is kutt?
Kutt is a self-hostable URL shortener with custom domains, link statistics, an admin panel and a RESTful API. Kutt is a URL shortener that you can run on your own server or use through the hosted kutt.to service. It lets users create and edit short links, set custom URLs, passwords, descriptions and expiration times, and view private statistics for each link. Admins can manage users and links from a dedicated admin page.
Is kutt free to use? What license does it have?
kutt is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is kutt still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to kutt was on Oct 19, 2026.
What can I use kutt for?
Hosting a private URL shortener for a team or organization on your own domain Shortening links with statistics while keeping data on your own infrastructure Adding short-link creation to scripts or apps through the API Restricting an instance to invited users by disabling registration and anonymous links
How do I install kutt?
Clone this repository or download the latest zip Install dependencies: npm install Initialize the database: npm run migrate Start the app for development (or use npm start for production): npm run dev
Where can I get kutt?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/thedevs-network/kutt

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