URL Shortning

Abstract

Long URLs are often difficult to share, remember, and manage, especially on character-limited platforms. This project aims to solve this problem by developing a URL shortener that converts lengthy URLs into concise, easy-to-share links while ensuring reliable redirection and basic tracking capabilities. The system is developed using PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and MySQL for a dynamic, user-friendly web interface and efficient data storage. The MD5 hashing algorithm is implemented to generate unique, fixed-length codes for each URL, ensuring quick retrieval and minimizing collisions. Each shortened URL is stored in the database alongside its original counterpart and access count. The results show a significant reduction in URL length, improving readability and usability. The tracking feature records the number of times each shortened link is accessed, offering basic insights into link performance. In conclusion, this project provides a lightweight, effective solution for managing and sharing long URLs, with potential future enhancements like custom short links, QR code generation, and detailed analytics