Main features
Next, let's list down the features of a URL shortener. In subsequent chapters we will go down similar paths with each popular Internet application. The intention in this section is to distill the basic features of the application, features that define the service. Features listed here will be features that make the application what it is.
However, as much as possible we want to also explore some additional features that extend the application and are provided by many of its competitors. Most importantly, the features here are mostly features of the most popular and definitive web application in the category. In this chapter, this will be TinyURL.
These are the main features of a URL shortener:
Users can create a short URL that represents a long URL
Users who visit the short URL will be redirected to the long URL
Users can preview a short URL to enable them to see what the long URL is
Users can provide a custom URL to represent the long URL
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