🔗 Custom URL Shortener

A simple URL shortener service made in ExpressJS that lets users create their own custom short links (if the name is available), view leaderboards of the most-clicked links, and enjoy a smooth frontend experience.

This project is built with a backend-first mindset,,the frontend was heavily assisted by AI (~80%) while I focused on building backend.

---

✨ Features

• 🔥 Custom Short URLs
  • Users can shorten their URLs and choose their own custom alias (if available).
• 📊 Leaderboard
  • See the top links with the highest number of clicks/views.
• 🛡️ Security
  • Secured with Helmet and best practices to prevent common web vulnerabilities.
• 🛠️ Validation
  • Robust input validation using Joi.
• 🚫 No Auth Required
  • Anyone can shorten URLs and view stats—no accounts or sign-in needed.
• 🌐 Frontend & Backend Separation
  • Backend (Express.js) and frontend are in separate folders and communicate via REST API.

---

🛠 Tech Stack

Backend

• Express.js - Web framework
• Neon - Serverless PostgreSQL (Free Tier)
• PostgreSQL - Database
• Joi - Input validation
• Helmet - Security middleware

Frontend

• Vanilla JS / HTML / CSS

---

📸 Screenshots

---

🚀 Getting Started

1️⃣ Backend Setup

cd backend
npm install
node --watch app

Make sure Neon DB is configured properly. Create the necessary tables with the provided SQL schema.

2️⃣ Frontend Setup

cd frontend

# Open with LiveServer/port 5500

---

📢 Notes

• No authentication means anyone can use it—designed for quick, frictionless URL shortening.
• The frontend is kept minimal since the focus was on backend logic and API design.

---

📃 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.