ReadyPath - URL Shortener

ReadyPath is a simple and efficient URL shortener that transforms long URLs into short, readable links like rp.houndsec.net/subtle-Lion. Built with Flask, MongoDB, and containerized using Docker and Docker Compose, ReadyPath is designed to be easy to set up and use.

Access it at: rp.houndsec.net

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Features

• Short, Readable URLs: Converts long URLs into short, human-readable links (e.g., rp.houndsec.net/sophisticated-Crow).
• API-Based: Accepts JSON input and returns the shortened URL in JSON format.
• Containerized: Easily deployable using Docker and Docker Compose.

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Access Free API

The ReadyPath API is live and hosted at rp.houndsec.net

To shorten a URL, send a POST request to:

https://rp.houndsec.net/api

With the following JSON payload:

{
  "url": "https://houndsec.net/"
}

The response will return a shortened URL:

{
  "shortURL": "rp.houndsec.net/subtle-Lion"
}

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Technologies Used

• Backend: Flask (Python)
• Database: MongoDB (for URL storage) and SQLite (for token generation)
• Containerization: Docker and Docker Compose

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine.
• Python 3.x (if running from source).
• pip for installing Python dependencies.

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Running with Docker (Recommended)

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/houndsec/readypath
   cd readypath

2. Start the Containers: Run the following command to spin up the Flask app and MongoDB containers:

   docker-compose up -d

3. Access the API: The Flask app will be running on localhost:8000. You can test the API using tools like curl or Postman.

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Running from Source

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/houndsec/readypath
   cd readypath

2. Set Environment Variables: Set the MONGO_URI environment variable to your MongoDB connection string:

   export MONGO_URI=mongodb://<MONGODB_URI_PATH>

3. Create a Virtual Environment:

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate

4. Install Dependencies: Install the required Python packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Run the Application: Start the Flask development server:

   python app.py

   The app will be available at http://localhost:5000.

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API Usage

Request

Send a POST request to the /api endpoint with the following JSON payload:

{
  "url": "https://houndsec.net/"
}

Response

The API will return a JSON response with the shortened URL:

{
  "shortURL": "localhost:8000/sophisticated-Crow"
}

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Docker Compose File

The docker-compose.yml file defines two services:

1. Flask App: The Flask application that handles URL shortening.
2. MongoDB: The database used to store URLs.

services:
  flask-app:
    build:
      context: .
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    depends_on:
      - mongo
    restart: always
  mongo:
    image: mongo:latest
    volumes:
      - mongo-data:/data/db
    restart: always
volumes:
  mongo-data:

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Project Structure

readypath/
├── app.py
├── dbms.py
├── docker-compose.yml
├── Dockerfile
├── README.md
├── requirements.txt
├── utils.py
└── words.db

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Future Enhancements

• Frontend Interface: Add a web interface for easier interaction.
• User Authentication: Enable users to create accounts and manage their URLs.

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you'd like to contribute to ReadyPath, please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch for your feature or bugfix.
3. Submit a pull request with a detailed description of your changes.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Contact

For questions or feedback, feel free to reach out:

• Email: mmdoha@houndsec.net
• GitHub: Monazir Muhammad Doha

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Happy shortening with ReadyPath! 🚀