Lstu vs Slash
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Slash
Open-source, self-hosted bookmarks and link shortener
| Feature | Lstu | Slash |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | WTFPL | MIT |
| Language | Perl | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 3,181 |
| First released | 2014 | 2023 |
| Replaces | TinyURL, Bitly | Bitly, go links |
What are Lstu and Slash?
Lstu
Lstu is a free, lightweight URL shortener written in Perl that focuses on simplicity and privacy. It can shorten links and optionally make them expire after a set time.
- Simple ephemeral links
- Privacy-focused
- Lightweight Perl app
- API support
Slash
Slash is an open-source, self-hosted platform for sharable links and bookmarks. It lets teams create short, memorable links and organize collections of resources.
- Shareable short links
- Bookmark collections
- Team workspaces
- Browser extension
Lstu vs Slash: key differences
Lstu is written in Perl, while Slash is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — WTFPL for Lstu versus MIT for Slash. Lstu is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Slash. Lstu is the more established project (first released 2014), while Slash arrived in 2023. Slash has the considerably larger community, at 3,181 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Lstu if…
- Released under the WTFPL license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Perl
Choose Slash if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.2k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Lstu or Slash better?
Neither is universally better. Slash has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Lstu and Slash free and open-source?
Yes. Lstu is licensed under WTFPL and Slash under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lstu and Slash with Docker?
Lstu: yes. Slash: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Lstu or Slash?
Lstu has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Slash. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.