URL shorter with python and examples step by step

Url shorter with python and examples step by step 

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create a URL shortener using Python:

Import the requests library by adding the following line at the top of your script: import requests

Create a function that takes a URL as an input and returns the shortened version of the URL using an API service such as Bitly or TinyURL. Here is an example of how to use the Bitly API to shorten a URL:

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def shorten_url(url):

    access_token = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" # Replace with your Bitly access token

    endpoint = "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/shorten"

    headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + access_token}

    data = {"long_url": url}

    response = requests.post(endpoint, json=data, headers=headers)

    if response.status_code == 200:

        return response.json()["link"]

    else:

        return None

Use the shorten_url() function to shorten a URL. For example:

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short_url = shorten_url("https://www.example.com")

print(short_url) # Output: https://bit.ly/2TfZcR6

Alternatively, you could use TinyURL API for shortening the url:

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def shorten_url(url):

    endpoint = "http://tinyurl.com/api-create.php?url=" + url

    response = requests.get(endpoint)

    if response.status_code == 200:

        return response.text

    else:

        return None

You can use different url shortening services and their respective API's to shorten the url

Please note that you need to have an access token to use the Bitly API. You can get one by signing up for a free account on the Bitly website. Also, you should also be aware of the terms of service and rate limits of the API you are using.

Requirements 

The requirements to create a URL shortener using Python are:

A computer or device with Python installed. You can download the latest version of Python from the official website.

A text editor or an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to write and run Python code. Examples are Sublime Text, PyCharm, Notepad++, etc.

The requests library, which can be installed using pip by running pip install requests in the command line. This library allows you to make HTTP requests to an API endpoint.

An API service such as Bitly or TinyURL that provides a way to shorten URLs. You will need to sign up for an account and obtain an access token to use the API.

Understanding of python and its libraries.

Familiarity with API's and their usage.

Understanding of how to make HTTP requests using python, and how to process the response data.

Familiarity with the terms of service and rate limits of the API you are using.

Understanding of how to use the functions provided by the libraries.

It is recommended to have some basic understanding of programming concepts, if you don't have it, you should start with basic python tutorials and then proceed with above instructions.