URL Shortener Service

Simple, maintainable backend for shortening links and tracking clicks.

The Tech Stack

• Node.js & Express: Core server framework.
• MongoDB: Database for users, URLs, and analytics.
• EJS: Server-side rendering (keeps the frontend simple).
• Auth: Custom in-memory session management.

Key Implementation Notes

• Architecture: Standard MVC pattern (Models, Views, Controllers).
• Authentication:
  • Uses service/auth.js to map session IDs to users.
  • Note: This is in-memory only. Restarting the server wipes active sessions.
  • Scaling: If we scale to multiple instances, we'll need to move this state to Redis.

Quick Start

1. Database: Ensure a local MongoDB instance is running.
2. Install:

   npm install

3. Run:

   npm start

4. Access: Server runs on port 8001 by default.