The latest articles on DEV Community by Chathrika Aluthge (@chathrika). https://dev.to/chathrika https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4005071%2F6e1b2bc6-a5f4-447c-8d9f-bc6086204789.jpg https://dev.to/chathrika en Chathrika Aluthge Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:53:25 +0000 https://dev.to/chathrika/i-built-a-link-shortener-with-a-real-api-and-qr-codes-that-dont-look-like-2009-1p9n https://dev.to/chathrika/i-built-a-link-shortener-with-a-real-api-and-qr-codes-that-dont-look-like-2009-1p9n <p>I am a solo founder, and I just shipped BLNQ: a link shortener and branded QR generator with a proper REST API. Full disclosure up front, this is my own product.</p> <p>Right now every new signup gets <strong>30 days of Pro free</strong>, so you can build against the full write API and custom domains with no card.</p> <h2> Why I built it </h2> <p>Most shorteners either ship no API, gate it behind a $30+/mo plan, or fund their "free analytics" by tracking your audience with cookies and pixels. I wanted the opposite.</p> <h2> What you get as a dev </h2> <ul> <li>A real REST API at <code>api.blnq.it/v1</code>. Read is free; the write API (create, edit, delete links) is on every paid plan, not just the top tier. OpenAPI 3.1 spec at <code>blnq.it/openapi.yaml</code>, human docs at <code>blnq.it/api</code>.</li> <li>A downloadable Agent Skill for the API. Hand it to your LLM (Claude, Cursor, whatever) and it already knows the endpoints, auth, and patterns, so you wire BLNQ in within minutes instead of reading docs.</li> <li>Custom domains on any paid plan. Pass your verified domain on create and the short URL comes back as <code>go.yourbrand.com/slug</code>.</li> <li>Server-side analytics: clicks by country, device, and browser, with QR scans counted separately. No client pixel, so ad blockers do not eat your numbers. Destination URLs are encrypted at rest.</li> <li>Branded QR codes that still scan: the designer auto-bumps error correction when you drop a logo in.</li> <li>HMAC-signed webhooks so you can react to clicks inside your own stack.</li> </ul> <p>The free tier is real: 10 links, unlimited standalone QR codes, 30 day analytics, read API. Pro is $6/mo (1,000 links, the write API, one custom domain, 90 day analytics).</p> <p>It is a one-person project, so honest feedback on the API and the dashboard is what I am after. Docs and the exact endpoints: blnq.it/api</p> api webdev showdev saas