How to add a link shortener API to a Next.js app

Use a link API instead of a private slug table

A custom slug table looks simple until you need QR support, auditing, rate controls, and machine access patterns that work across products, jobs, and internal tools.

• The same API surface can support app backends, queue workers, and AI flows.
• Short URL creation and QR metadata come back in the same response.
• Usage limits and key scopes stay outside your application business logic.

Create one server-side helper around the shorten endpoint

A small helper in your Next.js server layer is enough for the first integration. It can inject the API key, create an idempotency key for retries, and return a stable contract to the rest of your app.

Keep the helper inside a route handler, server action, or application service. That way the API key stays in server-side environment variables and the rest of the app consumes a simple function.

• Use an Idempotency-Key when the caller might retry.
• Store the returned link id if your app will read link or QR metadata later.
• Let the rest of the product work with short_url and qr_code.url instead of the raw external response.

curl -X POST https://1get.site/api/v1/links/shorten \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer 1g_live_xxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 7c8ff59c-17aa-4178-8890-b71af19f5261" \
  -d '{
    "original_url": "https://acme.ai/workflows/agent-invite/42",
    "custom_slug": "agent-launch",
    "qr": { "include": true, "format": "SVG", "size": 256 }
  }'

import 'server-only';

type ShortenPayload = {
  original_url: string;
  custom_slug?: string;
  qr?: { include?: boolean; format?: 'PNG' | 'SVG'; size?: number };
};

export async function createShortLink(payload: ShortenPayload) {
  const response = await fetch('https://1get.site/api/v1/links/shorten', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.ONEGET_API_KEY}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Idempotency-Key': crypto.randomUUID(),
    },
    body: JSON.stringify(payload),
    cache: 'no-store',
  });

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`1get shorten failed: ${response.status}`);
  }

  const body = await response.json();
  return body.data;
}

Render the returned contract and keep the integration operationally clean

The MVP route is designed so a single response is enough for most product surfaces: the short URL is ready for the UI and the QR object can feed a download button, share flow, or customer-facing asset.

As volume grows, pair the shorten helper with GET /api/v1/usage so your app or admin tooling can see the current billing window, active key count, and usage limit before traffic surprises the team.

• Basic is usually enough for the first production flow.
• Business is the more natural plan once multiple environments, teams, or read-heavy integrations appear.
• Do not build tenant selection into your client payloads. Organization context comes from the API key.