Developers

REST API

Create short links, read click statistics and generate QR codes from your own code. JSON over HTTPS and a single header for authentication.

Get an API key Try it live OpenAPI

Base URL: https://urlik.xyz/api/
Authentication: X-Api-Key
Format: JSON · UTF-8
Methods: 10
Webhooks: Webhooks

Developers

Quickstart

Your first short link in one request.

Get a key
Create it in your account under API. Keys can be limited to specific scopes.
Send the request
POST the long URL with the X-Api-Key header, and an alias if you want one.
Use the result
return.url is the short link, return.qr its QR code and return.stats the public statistics page.

Keep the key on your server: anyone who sees it can create and change links in your account.

Your first request

POST /api/getLink.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" \
  -d "url=https://example.com/spring-sale" \
  -d "alias=spring" \
  -d "mode=redirect"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({ url: "https://example.com/spring-sale", alias: "spring" })
});
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data.return.url);   // https://urlik.xyz/spring

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => ["url" => "https://example.com/spring-sale", "alias" => "spring"],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
$data = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);
echo $data["return"]["url"];   // https://urlik.xyz/spring

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={"url": "https://example.com/spring-sale", "alias": "spring"},
)
print(r.json()["return"]["url"])   # https://urlik.xyz/spring

Response200 OK

{
  "status": "success",
  "return": {
    "hex":   "spring",
    "url":   "https://urlik.xyz/spring",
    "qr":    "https://urlik.xyz/qr/spring.png",
    "stats": "https://urlik.xyz/spring+",
    "mode":  "redirect"
  }
}

Authentication

Send your key in the X-Api-Key header. Basic shortening works without a key; links created with a key belong to your account.

X-Api-Key: YOUR_KEY

Response format

Every method answers with JSON: status is success or error, message explains an error, return holds the data.

{ "status": "success", "message": "...", "return": { ... } }

Links

POST/api/getLink.jsonCreate a short linkKey optional

Parameter	Required	Description
`url`	required	Destination URL, http or https
`alias`	optional	Custom code, 2–32 characters: letters, digits, _ and -
`mode`	optional	redirect (default), preview or frame
`expire`	optional	Lifetime in seconds, 0 means no expiry
`password`	optional	Password visitors must enter to continue

POST /api/getLink.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" \
  -d "url=https://example.com/spring-sale"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({ url: "https://example.com/spring-sale" })
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => ["url" => "https://example.com/spring-sale"],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/getLink.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={"url": "https://example.com/spring-sale"},
)
print(r.json())

POST/api/stats.jsonLink statistics: clicks by day, sources, devices and browsersKey optional

Parameter	Required	Description
`code`	required	Short code of the link

POST /api/stats.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/stats.json -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" \
  -d "code=spring"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/stats.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({ code: "spring" })
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/stats.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => ["code" => "spring"],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/stats.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={"code": "spring"},
)
print(r.json())

POST/api/links.jsonList your linksKey required

No parameters: the key identifies your account.

POST /api/links.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/links.json -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/links.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({  })
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/links.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => [],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/links.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={},
)
print(r.json())

POST/api/update.jsonChange a linkKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`code`	required	Short code of the link
`url, mode, expire, password`	optional	New values of the fields you want to change

POST /api/update.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/update.json -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" \
  -d "code=spring"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/update.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({ code: "spring" })
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/update.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => ["code" => "spring"],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/update.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={"code": "spring"},
)
print(r.json())

POST/api/delete.jsonDelete a linkKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`code`	required	Short code of the link

POST /api/delete.json

curl -X POST https://urlik.xyz/api/delete.json -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" \
  -d "code=spring"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/delete.json", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY },
  body: new URLSearchParams({ code: "spring" })
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/delete.json");
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_POST           => true,
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS     => ["code" => "spring"],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/delete.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    data={"code": "spring"},
)
print(r.json())

Media, QR and temporary mail

These methods need the X-Api-Key header or a call through RapidAPI.

GET/api/download.jsonDownload video or photo from 1000+ sites: formats with signed download linksKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`url`	required	Address of a page with video or photo

GET /api/download.json

curl -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" "https://urlik.xyz/api/download.json?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%2Fspring-sale"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/download.json?" + new URLSearchParams({ url: "https://example.com/spring-sale" }), {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY }
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/download.json?" . http_build_query(["url" => "https://example.com/spring-sale"]));
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/download.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    params={"url": "https://example.com/spring-sale"},
)
print(r.json())

GET/api/qr.jsonGenerate a QR code in PNG or SVGKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`data`	required	Text or address to encode
`format`	optional	png or svg
`fg, bg`	optional	Foreground and background colour, hex
`ecc`	optional	Error correction: L, M, Q or H
`size`	optional	Image size in pixels

GET /api/qr.json

curl -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" "https://urlik.xyz/api/qr.json?data=https%3A%2F%2Furlik.xyz"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/qr.json?" + new URLSearchParams({ data: "https://urlik.xyz" }), {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY }
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/qr.json?" . http_build_query(["data" => "https://urlik.xyz"]));
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/qr.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    params={"data": "https://urlik.xyz"},
)
print(r.json())

GET/api/mailbox.jsonGet or create a temporary addressKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`address \| username`	optional	Temporary address or the name for a new one; empty creates a random address

GET /api/mailbox.json

curl -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" "https://urlik.xyz/api/mailbox.json?address=demo%40example.com"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/mailbox.json?" + new URLSearchParams({ address: "[email protected]" }), {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY }
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/mailbox.json?" . http_build_query(["address" => "[email protected]"]));
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/mailbox.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    params={"address": "[email protected]"},
)
print(r.json())

GET/api/messages.jsonList messages in a temporary inboxKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`address`	required	Temporary address

GET /api/messages.json

curl -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" "https://urlik.xyz/api/messages.json?address=demo%40example.com"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/messages.json?" + new URLSearchParams({ address: "[email protected]" }), {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY }
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/messages.json?" . http_build_query(["address" => "[email protected]"]));
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/messages.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    params={"address": "[email protected]"},
)
print(r.json())

GET/api/message.jsonRead a single messageKey required

Parameter	Required	Description
`address`	required	Temporary address
`id`	required	Message id from the inbox list

GET /api/message.json

curl -H "X-Api-Key: $URLIK_KEY" "https://urlik.xyz/api/message.json?address=demo%40example.com&id=1"

const res = await fetch("https://urlik.xyz/api/message.json?" + new URLSearchParams({ address: "[email protected]", id: "1" }), {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.URLIK_KEY }
});
console.log(await res.json());

$ch = curl_init("https://urlik.xyz/api/message.json?" . http_build_query(["address" => "[email protected]", "id" => "1"]));
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER     => ["X-Api-Key: " . getenv("URLIK_KEY")],
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
print_r(json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true));

import os, requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://urlik.xyz/api/message.json",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["URLIK_KEY"]},
    params={"address": "[email protected]", "id": "1"},
)
print(r.json())

Swagger UI

Try it live

Explore and call every endpoint right here. Paste your API key with the Authorize button to run authenticated requests.

Embed the shortener

Drop this snippet on any page to add a working URL shortener with a link back to urlik.xyz:

/embed

HTML

<iframe src="https://urlik.xyz/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:520px;height:150px;border:0" title="URL shortener by urlik.xyz" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Questions & answers

A simple REST API for short links

The Urlik REST API lets you create, read, update and delete short links from your own code and pull click statistics as JSON. It is a plain HTTPS API — send a POST request, get a predictable JSON response — so it works from any language or platform.

Basic shortening needs no credentials. To attach links to your account and manage them later, send your key in the X-Api-Key header, which you will find in your account. Responses always follow the same status, message and return shape shown below.

Do I need an API key?

Not for basic shortening — you can create a link anonymously. A key, found in your account, ties links to you and is required to list, update or delete them.

What format are responses in?

Every endpoint returns JSON with a status, a human-readable message and a return object holding the data, so parsing is consistent across calls.

Is there a rate limit?

Yes, requests are rate-limited per caller to keep the service fast and fair. Authenticated keys get a higher allowance than anonymous traffic.

Can I use it from any language?

Yes. It is a standard HTTPS JSON API, so anything that can send a POST request — curl, Python, PHP, JavaScript or Go — can use it.

Urlik brings together a set of fast, privacy-friendly web tools in one place, so you can handle everyday link tasks without juggling separate services or creating accounts. Whether you are sharing a campaign, collecting a payment, verifying a sign-up or sending a confidential file, there is a dedicated, free tool ready for the job.

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