Google URL shortener Goo.gl now has an API

Rejoice ye programmers! You can now access Google's URL shortener via a simple API. It can either be accessed in a brute-force "gimme a short link now" way; or you can make authenticated requests, which puts shortened URLs into your Goo.gl dashboard, allowing clickthroughs to be analyzed.

In the announcement, Google also points to Royal Pingdom's research into the fastest and most reliable URL shorteners. Not only does Google match Bit.ly for reliability, but it blows the competition out of the water when it comes to speed. Goo.gl is about three times faster than Bit.ly, and two times faster than Is.gd. The main difference seems to be that Google has servers all over the world, whereas Bit.ly seems to only have a North American presence.

Don't forget, Google also applies its excellent spam and malware filters to all Goo.gl-shortened links. Is there any reason to not use Goo.gl...?

Google URL shortener Goo.gl now has an API originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/11/google-url-shortener-goo-gl-now-has-an-api/

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