SnapURL — Backend

A fast, lightweight URL shortener API built with Node.js, Express, and MongoDB. Generates short IDs, handles redirects, and tracks visit analytics.

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Live API

https://snapurl-hf8u.onrender.com

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Tech Stack

• Runtime — Node.js
• Framework — Express.js
• Database — MongoDB (via Mongoose)
• Hosting — Render
• Short ID generation — nanoid / shortid

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API Endpoints

POST /api/link

Shorten a long URL.

Request body:

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

Response:

{
  "shortID": "kPDoCpnR",
  "link": "https://snapurl-hf8u.onrender.com/api/kPDoCpnR"
}

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GET /api/:shortID

Redirects to the original URL and records a visit timestamp.

GET https://snapurl-hf8u.onrender.com/api/kPDoCpnR
→ 302 Redirect to https://example.com

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GET /api/analytics/:shortID

Returns visit count and full visit history for a short URL.

Response:

{
  "totalVisits": 3,
  "analytics": [
    { "timestamp": 1776341689084, "_id": "..." },
    { "timestamp": 1776341712000, "_id": "..." }
  ]
}

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Getting Started Locally

Prerequisites

• Node.js v18+
• MongoDB Atlas account (or local MongoDB)

Installation

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/snapurl-backend.git
cd snapurl-backend
npm install

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root:

MONGO_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000
PORT=8000

Run the server

node server.js

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

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Project Structure

snapurl-backend/
├── controller/
│   └── url.controller.js    # generateShortUrl, getShortUrl, getAnalytics
├── routes/
│   └── url.router.js        # Route definitions
├── models/
│   └── url.model.js         # Mongoose schema
├── app.js                   # Express app setup (CORS, middleware, routes)
└── server.js                # Server entry point

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Deployment (Render)

1. Push your code to GitHub
2. Go to render.com → New Web Service → Connect your repo
3. Set the following environment variables in the Render dashboard:

Key	Value
MONGO_URI	Your MongoDB Atlas connection string
BASE_URL	https://your-app.onrender.com
PORT	8000

Render redeploys automatically on every push to main.

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Notes

• The router must define /analytics/:shortID before /:shortID — otherwise Express matches analytics requests as short IDs.
• BASE_URL must be set in the Render environment dashboard, not just in the local .env file (.env is gitignored and never pushed).