EdgeLink Template

Fast, secure URL redirect service and QR code generator built on Cloudflare Workers.

Try it live: isqr.me/edgelink

Deploy your own instance in minutes with this template repository.

Features

• Minimal JavaScript - HTML forms use native POST/redirect; JavaScript only for copy-to-clipboard on success page
• Custom Short URLs - Optional custom names or auto-generated lowercase IDs
• QR Code Generation - SVG QR codes for every shortened URL
• Smart URL Handling - Auto-prepends https:// if protocol omitted
• Secure - Domain validation, open redirect prevention, safe header handling
• Collision-Free - Automatic ID collision detection and retry
• Edge Performance - Runs on Cloudflare's global network

Tech Stack

• Runtime: Cloudflare Workers (Rust + WASM)
• Storage: Cloudflare KV
• Build: worker-build
• Dependencies: worker, qrcode, serde, serde_json

Setup

1. Clone and install

   git clone https://github.com/PeterMHammond/edgelink-template.git
   cd edgelink-template

2. Deploy

   wrangler deploy

   The KV namespace will be automatically created on first deployment.

3. Secure with Zero Trust (Strongly Recommended)

   Protect the /create endpoint with Cloudflare Access to prevent unauthorized URL creation. Since the root path / redirects to /create, this effectively secures the entire application.

   Steps to configure:

   1. Navigate to Cloudflare dashboard → Zero Trust → Access → Applications
   2. Click Add an application → Select Self-hosted
   3. Set Application domain to your Worker domain (e.g., isqr.me)
   4. Set Path to /create
   5. Configure Authentication method (email, Google, GitHub, SSO, etc.)
   6. Create an Access Policy to define who can create short URLs
   7. Save and deploy

   Why this matters: Without Zero Trust protection, anyone can create short URLs on your domain, potentially leading to abuse or unauthorized usage.

Development

# Run locally
wrangler dev

# Build
wrangler deploy --dry-run

Usage

1. Visit /create
2. Enter a URL (e.g., cloudflare.com or https://cloudflare.com - https:// auto-added if omitted)
3. Optionally enter a custom short name (2-20 chars - auto-normalized to lowercase, spaces→hyphens)
4. Get a shortened URL with QR code showing both short URL and target
5. Share the short URL - redirects automatically

URL Requirements:

• Must include a domain extension (e.g., .com, .org, .io)
• Protocol (https://) is auto-prepended if not provided
• Examples: cloudflare.com, https://cloudflare.com/login, https://developers.cloudflare.com/index.html

Custom Name Auto-Normalization:

• Uppercase → lowercase: MyLink becomes mylink
• Spaces → hyphens: my link becomes my-link
• Invalid characters removed: test_123! becomes test-123

Architecture

Modular design with clean separation of concerns:

• src/lib.rs - Minimal router setup (16 lines)
• src/routes/ - Individual route handlers (home→create redirect, create form/handler, redirect validator, custom 404)
• Minimal JavaScript - Server-side rendering with HTML forms; JavaScript only for clipboard operations
• Security-first - URL validation, domain checking, open redirect prevention

Acknowledgements

If you're looking for an external URL shortening service, check out shorturl.com. EdgeLink is designed for those who want to host their own redirect service on Cloudflare Workers.

License

MIT