URL Shortener

A simple Django-based web application that allows users to shorten long URLs using various URL shortening services. This project utilizes the pyshorteners library to interact with different URL shortening APIs and provides a user-friendly interface for quick URL shortening.

Deployment: Link

Features

• Multiple URL Shortening Services: Supports TinyURL, Bitly, Chilp.it, Clck.ru, Cutt.ly, Da.gd, and Is.gd.
• URL Validation: Ensures the provided URL is valid and not already shortened.
• Responsive Design: User-friendly interface adaptable to different screen sizes.
• Theme Toggle: Light and dark mode support with a toggle switch.
• Automatic Clipboard Copy: Click the shortened URL to copy it to your clipboard.
• Auto-clear Result: Shortened URL result disappears after 30 seconds for a cleaner interface.

Demo

(Coming Soon!)

Screenshots

Light theme	Dark Theme

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Django 3.2 or higher
• pyshorteners library
• API keys for Bitly and Cutt.ly (if you intend to use these services)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/url_shortener.git
   cd url_shortener

2. Create a virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv

3. Activate the virtual environment:

• On Windows:

  venv\Scripts\activate

• On macOS or Linux:

  source venv/bin/activate

4. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Set up environment variables:

   • Create a .env file in the root directory.
   • Add the following variables:

     SECRET_KEY=your_django_secret_key
     BITLY_API_KEY=your_bitly_api_key
     CUTLLY_API_KEY=your_cuttly_api_key

Note

If you don't have API keys for Bitly or Cutt.ly, you can leave them empty or remove related options from the application.

6. Apply migrations:

   python manage.py migrate

7. Run the development server:

   python manage.py runserver

8. Access the application:

   Open your web browser and navigate to http://127.0.0.1:8000/.

Usage:

1. Shorten a URL:

   • Enter the long URL you wish to shorten in the input field.
   • Select your preferred URL shortening service from the dropdown menu.
   • Click on "Shorten URL".

2. Copy Shortened URL:

   • The shortened URL will be displayed.
   • Click on the shortened URL to copy it to your clipboard.
   • A tooltip "Copied to clipboard!" will appear upon successful copy.

3. Theme Toggle:

   • Use the toggle switch in the navigation bar to switch between light and dark modes.
   • Your theme preference will be remembered for future visits

Project Structure:

url_shortener/
├── manage.py
├── requirements.txt
├── url_shortener/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── asgi.py
│   ├── settings.py
│   ├── urls.py
│   ├── views.py
│   ├── wsgi.py
├── static/
│   └── url_shortener/
│       ├── fav-icon.ico
│       └── logo.png
├── templates/
│   └── home.html

Technologies Used:

• Django: High-level Python web framework.
• PyShorteners: Python library for shortening URLs via various services.
• HTML5 & CSS3: For structuring and styling the web pages.
• JavaScript: For dynamic interactions on the front-end.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions for improvements or would like to report a bug, please open an issue or submit a pull request.