Ep. 170
The Deep Dive discusses YOURLS, which stands for Your Own URL Shortener, emphasizing its role as self-hosted software rather than a subscription service. Users can download and run it on their own servers, granting them complete control over their short links, click data, and brand identity. The document highlights the advantages of owning data, including detailed statistics such as historical click reports, referrer tracking, and visitor geolocation, which are valuable for marketers and content sharers. Additionally, YOURLS offers extensibility through a robust plugin architecture, allowing users to customize functionality according to their needs. The setup process is designed to be beginner-friendly, with comprehensive documentation available. The software is free and open-source under the MIT license, encouraging users to modify and share it. A supportive community exists for those seeking assistance or advanced features. Ultimately, YOURLS empowers users to take ownership of their online presence and data, transforming link shortening into a strategic asset. The discussion concludes by prompting listeners to consider the importance of controlling their online infrastructure.