freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/blocks/back-end-development-and-apis-projects/bd7158d8c443edefaeb5bd0e.md

id, title, challengeType, forumTopicId, dashedName

id	title	challengeType	forumTopicId	dashedName
bd7158d8c443edefaeb5bd0e	URL Shortener Microservice	4	301509	url-shortener-microservice

--description--

Build a full-stack JavaScript app that is functionally similar to this: https://url-shortener-microservice.freecodecamp.rocks. Working on this project will involve you writing your code using one of the following methods:

• Clone this GitHub repo and complete your project locally.
• Use a site builder of your choice to complete the project. Be sure to incorporate all the files from our GitHub repo.

--instructions--

HINT: Do not forget to use a body parsing middleware to handle the POST requests. Also, you can use the function dns.lookup(host, cb) from the dns core module to verify a submitted URL.

--hints--

You should provide your own project, not the example URL.

  assert(
    !/.*\/url-shortener-microservice\.freecodecamp\.rocks/.test(
      code
    )
  );

You can POST a URL to /api/shorturl and get a JSON response with original_url and short_url properties. Here's an example: { original_url : 'https://freeCodeCamp.org', short_url : 1}

  const url = code;
  const urlVariable = Date.now();
  const fullUrl = `${url}/?v=${urlVariable}`
  const res = await fetch(url + '/api/shorturl', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' },
    body: `url=${fullUrl}`
  });
  if (res.ok) {
    const { short_url, original_url } = await res.json();
    assert.isNotNull(short_url);
    assert.strictEqual(original_url, `${url}/?v=${urlVariable}`);
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }

When you visit /api/shorturl/<short_url>, you will be redirected to the original URL.

  const url = code;
  const urlVariable = Date.now();
  const fullUrl = `${url}/?v=${urlVariable}`
  let shortenedUrlVariable;
  const postResponse = await fetch(url + '/api/shorturl', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' },
    body: `url=${fullUrl}`
  });
  if (postResponse.ok) {
    const { short_url } = await postResponse.json();
    shortenedUrlVariable = short_url;
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${postResponse.status} ${postResponse.statusText}`);
  }
  // Ensure a new URL is reached
  const getResponse = await fetch(
    url + '/api/shorturl/' + shortenedUrlVariable, {redirect:'follow'}
  );
  if (getResponse) {
    const { url } = getResponse; // status is always 200 for some reason
    assert.strictEqual(url,fullUrl);
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${getResponse.status} ${getResponse.statusText}`);
  }

  // No more auto follow
  const getManualResponse = await fetch(
    url + '/api/shorturl/' + shortenedUrlVariable, {redirect:'manual'}
  );
  if (getManualResponse) {
    const { status } = getManualResponse; // if a redirect happens, it won't reach the new resource
    assert.strictEqual(status,0);
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${getManualResponse.status} ${getManualResponse.statusText}`);
  }

If you pass an invalid URL that doesn't follow the valid http://www.example.com format, the JSON response will contain { error: 'invalid url' }

  const url = code;
  const res = await fetch(url + '/api/shorturl', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' },
    body: `url=ftp:/john-doe.invalidTLD`
  });
  if (res.ok) {
    const { error } = await res.json();
    assert.isNotNull(error);
    assert.strictEqual(error.toLowerCase(), 'invalid url');
  } else {
    throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
  }