Shlink Web Client vs Chhoto URL
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Chhoto URL
Fast, lightweight and FOSS URL shortener in Rust
| Feature | Shlink Web Client | Chhoto URL |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 398 | ★ 978 |
| First released | 2018 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Bitly | TinyURL, Bitly |
What are Shlink Web Client and Chhoto URL?
Shlink Web Client
Shlink Web Client is the official browser-based interface for managing one or more Shlink servers. It provides link creation, analytics dashboards, and tag management.
- Manage multiple Shlink servers
- Visual analytics dashboards
- Tag and domain management
- No backend of its own
Chhoto URL
Chhoto URL is a simple, fast, and lightweight self-hosted URL shortener written in Rust, forked from Simply Shorten. It uses minimal resources and offers an optional public mode.
- Tiny Rust binary
- SQLite storage
- Optional public mode
- Simple REST API
Shlink Web Client vs Chhoto URL: key differences
Shlink Web Client is written in TypeScript, while Chhoto URL is built with Rust. Chhoto URL is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Shlink Web Client. Shlink Web Client is the more established project (first released 2018), while Chhoto URL arrived in 2023. Chhoto URL has the considerably larger community, at 978 GitHub stars versus 398.
Why pick each one
Choose Shlink Web Client if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Chhoto URL if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is Shlink Web Client or Chhoto URL better?
Neither is universally better. Chhoto URL has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Shlink Web Client and Chhoto URL free and open-source?
Yes. Shlink Web Client is licensed under MIT and Chhoto URL under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Shlink Web Client and Chhoto URL with Docker?
Shlink Web Client: yes. Chhoto URL: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Shlink Web Client or Chhoto URL?
Chhoto URL has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Shlink Web Client. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.