The backend is using Azure Functions and Azure Table Storable this page will explains how they work together in this tool.
Azure Function were the perfect match for this project because when you use a dynamic plan you are charged only when the function is running. In our case, it's only a few seconds at the time. To know more read Azure Function Pricing
This function set the property IsArchived to true. It's a soft delete. When IsArchived equal true it won't be return in the list and should works anymore as a short URL. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type POST with a header "Content-Type" equal to "application/json". Passing the vanity of that specific URL in the body as showed below.
{
// [Required]
"PartitionKey": "d",
// [Required]
"RowKey": "doc",
// [Optional] all other properties
}{
"Url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio",
"Title": "My Title",
"ShortUrl": null,
"Clicks": 0,
"IsArchived": true,
"PartitionKey": "a",
"RowKey": "azFunc2",
"Timestamp": "2020-07-23T06:22:33.852218-04:00",
"ETag": "W/\"datetime'2020-07-23T10%3A24%3A51.3440526Z'\""
}This function return the statistic for a specific URL. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type POST with a header "Content-Type" equal to "application/json". Passing the vanity of that specific URL in the body as showed below.
{
"vanity": "docs"
}{
"ClickStatsList": [
{
"Datetime": "2020-04-08 10:42",
"PartitionKey": "docs",
"RowKey": "eafa12d4-fae1-xxxx-aaaa-af0e4cfede5e",
"Timestamp": "2020-04-08T10:42:30.6545923-04:00",
"ETag": "W/\"datetime'2020-04-08T14%3A42%3A30.6545923Z'\""
}
]
}This function return a list of all URLs created previously including the clicks count. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type GET with a header "Content-Type" equal to "application/json".
No input required.
{
"UrlList": [
{
"Url": "http://www....",
"Clicks": 0,
"PartitionKey": "2",
"RowKey": "2w",
"Timestamp": "2020-04-01T16:24:12.5007407-04:00",
"ETag": "W/\"datetime'2020-04-01T20%3A24%3A12.5007407Z'\""
}
]
}This function return a HTTP Redirect to the URL. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type POST or GET passing the vanity at the end of the URL. The Azure Function Proxy will call Function passing the parameter.
For example if the domain is c5m.ca and the vanity is "2w", the request c5m.ca/2w will call "UrlRedirect/{shortUrl}" where shortUrl is equal to "2w". end the result will be a redirect to the long URL save in the storage.
Every times the Azure Function is called it will increment the click count and save the timestamp when this call appends.
This function creates the short version of our URL and return the info it. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type POST with a header "Content-Type" equal to "application/json". Passing the URL and an optional vanity in the body as showed below. If no vanity is specified one will be automatically generated for you!
Example of of a body without vanity.
{
"url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio",
"title": "MS Docs - Create first function",
"vanity": ""
}Example of of a body with vanity.
{
"url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio",
"title": "MS Docs - Create first function",
"vanity": "azFunc"
}Here the result when the vanity wasn't specified and the alternative when the vanity was part of the call.
{
"ShortUrl": "http://c5m.ca/20",
"LongUrl": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio"
}{
"ShortUrl": "http://c5m.ca/azFunc",
"LongUrl": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio"
}This function will update the properties: Url and Title to the new value. You can call it directly doing an HTTP request of type POST with a header "Content-Type" equal to "application/json". Passing the vanity of that specific URL in the body as showed below.
{
// [Required]
"PartitionKey": "d",
// [Required]
"RowKey": "doc",
// [Optional] New Title for this URL, or text description of your choice.
"title": "Quickstart: Create your first function in Azure using Visual Studio"
// [Optional] New long Url where the the user will be redirect
"Url": "https://SOME_URL"
}{
"Url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-ca/azure/azure-functions/functions-create-your-first-function-visual-studio",
"Title": "My Title",
"ShortUrl": null,
"Clicks": 0,
"IsArchived": true,
"PartitionKey": "a",
"RowKey": "azFunc2",
"Timestamp": "2020-07-23T06:22:33.852218-04:00",
"ETag": "W/\"datetime'2020-07-23T10%3A24%3A51.3440526Z'\""
}The Azure table storage are the data store in this project. They are a very convenient service to keep structured NoSQL data in the cloud. They are also typically lower in cost than traditional SQL for similar volumes of data.
You can explore the Azure Table storage from Azure portal or using the Azure Storage Explorer it's a nice free tool that is available on all platforms (MacOS, Linux, Windows).
There are two tables that will be automatically created at the first call.
The ClickStats table get a new entry at every call of the Azure Function UrlRedirect with the Datetime value.
The UrlDetails table has the information about all the URLs created. The Vanity, URL , and number of clicks.