URL Shortener | Link Analytics
URL shortener with click analytics. MongoDB storage, geographic tracking, referrer analysis, and custom short codes.
The Problem
URL shorteners like Bitly were popular but the analytics were limited. I wanted click tracking with geographic data, referrer analysis, and custom short codes.
Technical Approach
MERN stack application:
- MongoDB for link storage and click event logs
- Express API for link creation and click tracking
- React dashboard for analytics visualization
- 301 redirects for SEO preservation
Interesting Challenges
High-volume click tracking requires careful database design. I used capped collections for click logs to prevent unbounded growth while maintaining aggregate statistics.
This was my first full-stack project. The architecture is naive by modern standards but it worked for personal use.
What I'd Do Differently
The project solved a problem I didn't actually have at scale. Bitly's free tier was sufficient for actual use cases. The value was in learning full-stack development, not in the utility of the final product.