# Running Shlink URL Shortener in Docker on Ubuntu Server

## What is Shlink?

> A PHP-based self-hosted URL shortener that can be used to serve shortened URLs under your own custom domain. -https://github.com/shlinkio/shlink

## Installing Docker

1. Log into the Linux host and run the following commands in a terminal window
   # install prerequisites
   sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common gnupg-agent -y
   # add docker gpg key
   curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/$(awk -F'=' '/^ID=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os-release)/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
   # add docker software repository
   sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture)] https://download.docker.com/linux/$(awk -F'=' '/^ID=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os-release) $(lsb_release -cs) stable"
   # install docker
   sudo apt install docker-ce docker-compose containerd.io -y
   # enable and start docker service
   sudo systemctl enable docker && sudo systemctl start docker
   # add the current user to the docker group
   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
   # reauthenticate for the new group membership to take effect
   su - $USER

## Running Shlink Container

1. Continue with the following commands in a terminal window
   # create working directories
   mkdir ~/docker/shlink -p && mkdir ~/docker/mariadb -p
   # set owner of working directories
   sudo chown "$USER":"$USER" ~/docker -R
   # run the mariadb docker container
   docker run -d --name mariadb -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD='r00tp@$$' -e MYSQL_USER=shlinkio_rw -e MYSQL_PASSWORD='$hlink10!' -e MYSQL_DATABASE=shlinkio -v ~/docker/mariadb:/var/lib/mysql --restart=unless-stopped mariadb:latest
   # run the shlink docker container
   docker run -d --name shlink --link mariadb -e DEFAULT_DOMAIN=b.rto:8080 -e USE_HTTPS=false -e DB_DRIVER=maria -e DB_NAME=shlinkio -e DB_USER=shlinkio_rw -e DB_PASSWORD='$hlink10!' -e DB_HOST=mariadb -e DB_PORT=3306 -p 8080:8080 --restart=unless-stopped shlinkio/shlink:stable
   # run the shlink web client
   docker run -d --name shlink-web-client -p 8888:80 -v ~/docker/shlink/servers.json:/usr/share/nginx/html/servers.json --restart=unless-stopped shlinkio/shlink-web-client
   # generate shlink API key
   docker exec -it shlink shlink api-key:generate
2. Copy the generated API key to the clipboard
3. Open a web browser and navigate to http://DNSorIP:8888
4. Click the Add a server button
5. Enter a name for the server, the URL should be http://DNSorIP:8080 and paste the copied API key created earlier
6. Welcome to Shlink

Source: https://hub.docker.com/r/shlinkio/shlink
Documentation: https://shlink.io/documentation/install-docker-image/