#URL_Shortener

To see this in action, please go to http://twayd.com.

##How It Works (Briefly) URLs are stored in a database and are associated with an unique numerical id that functions as a primary key. This id is in decimal (base 10) format, but it can be more succinctly represented in a higher base. PHP is able to convert to base 36, which uses all the numerical digits as well as the Latin alphabet [0-9,A-Z].

Urls are therefore associated with the base 36 representation of their numerical primary key, allowing them to be represented in a concise manner.

###Technologies Used:

1. Server Scripting Language: Php. The CakePHP framework was used, as this framework can easily add additional functionality (more Api endpoints) and interacts with the http protocol.
2. Server: Linux ubuntu, hosted on Amazon AWS EC2.
3. Web Server: Apache, mpm-prefork. Apache can be "ramped up" to add more workers if necessary.
4. Database Server: Postgres. My favourite RDMS, postgres is stable and fast.

#API Endpoint http://twayd.com

##Summary Of Resource URL Patterns /url takes a hash as input and converts it to the original url

/hash - takes a url as input and hashes it into a shortened url.

##Example Usage - Request The Original Url

• curl http://twayd.com/url?hash=4

  • hash - [REQUIRED] - the shortened url hash. Either the full hash url (e.g. http://twayd.com/4) or just the hash (e.g. 4) need be given.

• return value: A JSon string called result with a key originalUrl if successful. The http status code will be set to 200.

• errors: If url hash does not exist, then error message is returned. The http status code will be set to 403.

##Example Usage - Convert An Url To A Hash

• curl --data "url=news24.com" http://twayd.com/hash

  • data - [REQUIRED] - the original url to be shortened. Note that this is a post method

• return value: A JSon string called result with a key hashedUrl. The http status code will be set to 200.

• errors: If url already exists as a hash, then an error message is returned stating this. The hashedUrl will still be returned.

##Example Usage - Obtain A Hash Given The Original Url

• curl http://twayd.com/hash?url=hootsuite.com

  • url - [REQUIRED] - the original url that was shortened. Note that this is a get method

• return value: A JSon string called result with a key hashedUrl. The http status code will be set to 200.

• errors: If url does not exist as a hash, then an error message is returned stating this.