Link Expander Template

What it does

The real destination

Follows the link to where it ends up and shows the full URL, with the domain picked out so lookalikes stand out.

Every redirect

Counts the redirects it followed, and on paid plans draws each hop in between as a chain.

Recent links

Keeps your last eight lookups on the device, so you can reopen one without spending a call.

Shareable results

Add ?url= to the page address to expand a link on load, handy for bookmarks and support replies.

Keeps your key private

The browser only talks to your own API route, which checks the link, caches answers and limits each visitor to 10 lookups a minute.

How it works

The API route: it checks the link, answers from the cache when it can, and calls URL Unshortener.

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/** GET /api/expand?url=...: follows a short link to where it really goes. */
export async function GET(request: Request) {
  let url = str(new URL(request.url).searchParams.get('url'), 2000);
  if (!url) return fail('Paste a link to expand');
  if (!/^https?:\/\//i.test(url)) url = `https://${url}`;
  try {
    new URL(url);
  } catch {
    return fail('That doesn’t look like a link');
  }

  const key = `expand:${url}`;
  const hit = fromCache<Expanded>(key, TTL_MS);
  if (hit) return Response.json(hit);

  const blocked = guard(request);
  if (blocked) return blocked;

  return respond(async () => {
    const data = await callApi<Expanded>('urlunshortener', { json: { url } });
    toCache(key, data);
    return data;
  });
}

See the whole file on GitHub →

Deploy it

1. Get a free API key

   The free plan includes 200 credits a month, no card needed. Create your key.

2. Deploy it

   Click Deploy to Vercel. Vercel copies the repo to your GitHub account and asks for APIVERVE_API_KEY: paste your key there.

3. Open your app

   Vercel builds it and gives you a live URL, usually in about a minute. Every push to the repo redeploys it.

Try the URL Unshortener API — the call this template makes

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{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "source": "https://bit.ly/3k3j4",
    "destination": "http://www.allclimbing.com/archive/2009/09/climbing-video-alex-puccio-on-trice-v12/",
    "unshortened": true,
    "redirectCount": 1,
    "destinationDomain": "www.allclimbing.com",
    "redirectChain": [
      "https://bit.ly/3k3j4",
      "http://www.allclimbing.com/archive/2009/09/climbing-video-alex-puccio-on-trice-v12/"
    ]
  }
}