Question 1

How to cache url-unshort expansions with Redis?

Accepted Answer

Implement the cache option with promise-based get and set functions that interface with Redis. For example, use ioredis to store and retrieve expanded URLs by key, reducing repeat network calls as shown in the README's cache configuration.

Question 2

What shortening services does url-unshort support?

Accepted Answer

It supports a wide range via a built-in domains.yml file, including common ones like Bitly, TinyURL, and goo.gl. You can check the GitHub repository for the full list or add custom domains using the .add() method.

Question 3

How to add a custom URL shortener to url-unshort?

Accepted Answer

Use the .add() method with the domain and optional options like match regex or fetch function. Refer to the lib/providers directory for examples, such as defining custom validation logic for proprietary services.

Question 4

url-unshort vs manual HTTP redirect resolution: which is better?

Accepted Answer

url-unshort is better for reliability and security, as it handles nesting limits, error retries, and protocol restrictions automatically. Manual resolution requires more code to manage redirects, caching, and edge cases, making it error-prone.

Question 5

How to handle errors when expanding URLs with url-unshort?

Accepted Answer

Wrap the expand() call in a try-catch block and use the isErrorFatal function to decide if retries are needed. The README provides a retry example with delays for temporary errors like network timeouts.

Question 6

Does url-unshort work in the browser?

Accepted Answer

No, it's designed for Node.js environments due to its reliance on server-side HTTP requests and caching. For browser-based expansion, you'd need a backend proxy or a different library that handles client-side redirects.

url-unshort

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