catokx/openshort repository overview

⁠OpenShort – Self-Hosted URL Shortener

OpenShort is an open-source, self-hosted URL shortener built for Docker. A modern alternative to Bitly you can run on your own infrastructure — with a web dashboard, custom domains, REST API, and zero-config SQLite or external MySQL support.

⁠Why OpenShort?

• Self-hosted – full control over your data and infrastructure
• Zero-config – runs out of the box with embedded SQLite; no external database required
• Custom domains – use your own branded short links
• REST API – integrate with your services and automation workflows
• Single container – backend and frontend in one Docker image
• Open source – MIT license, actively maintained on GitHub

⁠Quick Start (SQLite – Zero Config)

The fastest way to run OpenShort with persistent data:

docker run -d \
  --name openshort \
  -p 8081:8081 \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v openshort-data:/app/data \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  catokx/openshort:latest

• Dashboard: http://<server-ip>:8081
• API & Redirects: http://<server-ip>:8080

⁠MySQL Mode (Optional)

Connect to an external MySQL database instead of SQLite:

docker run -d \
  --name openshort \
  -p 8081:8081 \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -e MYSQL_HOST=your_mysql_host \
  -e MYSQL_PORT=3306 \
  -e MYSQL_DATABASE=openshort \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_secure_password \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  catokx/openshort:latest

⁠Features

• Create and manage short links from a clean web dashboard
• Custom domain support for branded short URLs
• Permanent (301) and temporary (302) redirects
• JWT-based authentication with ASP.NET Identity
• Modern UI built with Angular and PrimeNG
• Flexible storage: zero-config SQLite or external MySQL
• Collision-resistant slug generation

⁠Tech Stack

• Backend: .NET 9, ASP.NET Core Web API, Entity Framework Core
• Frontend: Angular 21, PrimeNG, Tailwind CSS v3
• Auth: ASP.NET Identity + JWT

⁠Who Is It For?

OpenShort is a great fit for:

• Developers and sysadmins looking for a Docker-based Bitly alternative
• Small businesses wanting branded short links on their own domain
• Marketing teams needing self-hosted campaign links
• Internal teams managing short URLs for tools, docs, and onboarding

⁠Documentation & Source Code

Full documentation, install instructions, api reference are available on: https://openshort.tech⁠

Source code available on: https://github.com/emanueledeamicis/openshort⁠