rs-short

Self-Hosted

Lightweight Rust-based self-hosted URL shortener

Overview

rs-short is a blazingly fast, Rust-powered URL shortener designed for self-hosting. It offers core features like custom short links, click analytics (with daily/weekly stats), API access for programmatic link creation, and support for multiple users (with role-based permissions). Deployment is straightforward—use pre-built Docker images, compile from source, or download static binaries for minimal server footprint. It’s lightweight, uses minimal resources, and integrates with PostgreSQL for persistent storage. Ideal for privacy-focused individuals or teams needing an alternative to commercial URL shorteners without sacrificing performance.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  rs_short:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: rs-short
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Blazingly fast Rust performance
Custom short URL support
Click analytics with detailed stats
REST API for automation
Lightweight resource footprint

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is rs-short hard to install?

rs-short is easy to install—you can use pre-built Docker images (with a simple docker-compose.yml file) or download static binaries for your OS. It requires PostgreSQL for storage, and setup instructions are detailed in the GitHub repo.

? Is it a good alternative to Bitly?

Yes—rs-short offers core URL shortening features plus click analytics, all self-hosted. Unlike Bitly, it doesn’t track user data for advertising, making it ideal for privacy-conscious users. However, it lacks some enterprise features like team collaboration tools found in Bitly’s paid plans.

? Is it completely free?

rs-short is 100% open source and free to use. There are no hidden costs—you only need to cover your server and storage expenses for self-hosting.

Top Alternatives

Bitly Compare

TinyURL Compare

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category URL Shorteners

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (no third-party tracking)
⊕ Minimal server resource usage
⊕ Easy deployment via Docker or binary
⊕ Open-source with active development

Cons

⊖ Limited advanced features compared to enterprise tools
⊖ Requires basic server administration knowledge
⊖ No built-in SSL (needs reverse proxy like Nginx)