URL Shortener App Using Django

A modern, feature-rich URL shortening service built with Django, featuring a beautiful glassmorphism UI, user authentication, analytics dashboard, and QR code generation.

Features

Modern UI/UX

• Glassmorphism Design: Beautiful dark theme with transparency effects and orange accents
• Responsive Layout: Works seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
• Smooth Animations: Interactive hover effects and transitions
• Clean Interface: Intuitive design with consistent styling across all pages

User Management

• User Registration & Login: Secure authentication system
• Personal Dashboard: Users can manage their shortened URLs
• Guest Access: Create short URLs without registration
• Session Management: Secure logout functionality

Analytics & Tracking

• Click Analytics: Track how many times each URL has been clicked
• User Dashboard: View all your created URLs in one place
• Statistics Overview: Total URLs created, total clicks, and recent activity
• Visual Charts: Interactive charts showing click trends and URL performance

Core Functionality

• URL Shortening: Convert long URLs into short, shareable links
• Custom Short Codes: Automatically generated unique short codes
• URL Validation: Ensures only valid URLs are processed
• Redirect Tracking: Count and track click-through rates

QR Code Generation

• Dynamic QR Codes: Generate QR codes for any shortened URL
• High Quality: Vector-based QR codes with customizable size
• Download Option: Save QR codes as PNG images
• Mobile Friendly: Perfect for sharing via mobile devices

Security & Reliability

• CSRF Protection: Built-in Django security features
• Input Validation: Sanitized user inputs
• Error Handling: Graceful error pages and user feedback
• Database Integrity: Proper foreign key relationships and constraints

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• pip (Python package installer)
• Git

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/huzaifa-asad/django-url-shortener.git
   cd django-url-shortener

2. Create a virtual environment

   # Windows
   python -m venv env
   env\Scripts\activate
   
   # macOS/Linux
   python3 -m venv env
   source env/bin/activate

3. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Navigate to project directory

   cd urlshortener

5. Run database migrations

   python manage.py makemigrations
   python manage.py migrate

6. Create a superuser (optional)

   python manage.py createsuperuser

7. Start the development server

   python manage.py runserver

8. Open your browser Navigate to http://localhost:8000 to start using the URL shortener!

Project Structure

django-url-shortener/
├── README.md
├── requirements.txt
└── urlshortener/
    ├── manage.py
    ├── db.sqlite3
    ├── app/
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   ├── admin.py
    │   ├── apps.py
    │   ├── forms.py
    │   ├── models.py
    │   ├── tests.py
    │   ├── urls.py
    │   ├── utils.py
    │   ├── views.py
    │   ├── migrations/
    │   └── templates/
    │       ├── home.html
    │       ├── success.html
    │       ├── list.html
    │       ├── analytics.html
    │       ├── qr_code.html
    │       └── auth/
    │           ├── login.html
    │           └── register.html
    └── urlshortener/
        ├── __init__.py
        ├── asgi.py
        ├── settings.py
        ├── urls.py
        └── wsgi.py

Usage Guide

Creating Short URLs

1. As a Guest:

   • Visit the homepage
   • Enter your long URL in the input field
   • Click "Shorten URL"
   • Get your short URL instantly

2. As a Registered User:

   • Register for an account or login
   • Create short URLs with full tracking
   • Access your personal dashboard
   • View detailed analytics

Managing Your URLs

1. View All URLs: Click "My URLs" to see all your shortened links
2. Track Performance: Use the analytics dashboard to monitor clicks
3. Generate QR Codes: Create QR codes for any of your URLs
4. Delete URLs: Remove URLs you no longer need

Analytics Features

• Overview Stats: Total URLs created and total clicks
• Top Performing URLs: See which links get the most clicks
• Recent Activity: Monitor recent URL creation and usage
• Visual Charts: Interactive graphs showing trends over time

API Endpoints

Endpoint	Method	Description
/	GET, POST	Homepage - Create short URLs
/login/	GET, POST	User login
/register/	GET, POST	User registration
/logout/	POST	User logout
/urls/	GET	List user's URLs
/analytics/	GET	Analytics dashboard
/analytics/data/	GET	JSON analytics data
/<code>/	GET	Redirect to original URL
/qr/<code>/	GET	Generate QR code image
/qr/<code>/download/	GET	Download QR code
/qr/<code>/page/	GET	QR code display page
/delete/<id>/	POST	Delete URL

Configuration

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the project root for production settings:

DEBUG=False
SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here
ALLOWED_HOSTS=yourdomain.com,www.yourdomain.com
DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///db.sqlite3

Settings Customization

Key settings in settings.py:

• ALLOWED_HOSTS: Add your domain for production
• DEBUG: Set to False for production
• SECRET_KEY: Use a secure secret key
• DATABASES: Configure your preferred database

Docker Deployment

Using Docker Compose

1. Create Dockerfile:

   FROM python:3.12-slim
   WORKDIR /app
   COPY requirements.txt .
   RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
   COPY . .
   EXPOSE 8000
   CMD ["python", "manage.py", "runserver", "0.0.0.0:8000"]

2. Create docker-compose.yml:

   version: '3.8'
   services:
     web:
       build: .
       ports:
         - "8000:8000"
       volumes:
         - .:/app

3. Run with Docker:

   docker-compose up --build

Production Deployment

Recommended Stack

• Web Server: Nginx
• WSGI Server: Gunicorn
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Cache: Redis
• Platform: Heroku, DigitalOcean, AWS, or VPS

Deployment Steps

1. Configure production settings
2. Set up database (PostgreSQL recommended)
3. Configure static files serving
4. Set up SSL certificate
5. Configure domain and DNS
6. Set up monitoring and logging

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Made with ❤️ and Django

Transform your long URLs into short, beautiful links with style!