We
launched the Google URL Shortener back in 2009 as a way to help people more easily share links and measure traffic online. Since then, many popular URL shortening services have emerged and the ways people find content on the Internet have also changed dramatically, from primarily desktop webpages to apps, mobile devices, home assistants, and more.
To refocus our efforts, we're turning down support for goo.gl over the coming weeks and replacing it with
Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL). FDLs are smart URLs that allow you to send existing and potential users to any location within an iOS, Android or web app. We're excited to grow and improve the product going forward. While most features of goo.gl will eventually sunset,
all existing links will continue to redirect to the intended destination.
For consumers
Starting April 13, 2018, anonymous users and users who have never created short links before today will not be able to create new short links via the
goo.gl console. If you are looking to create new short links, we recommend you use
Firebase Dynamic Links or check out popular services like
Bitly and
Ow.ly as an alternative.
If you have existing goo.gl short links, you can continue to use all features of
goo.gl console for a period of one year, until March 30, 2019, when we will discontinue the console. You can manage all your short links and their analytics through the goo.gl console during this period.
After March 30, 2019, all links will continue to redirect to the intended destination. Your existing short links
will not be migrated to the Firebase console, however, you will be able to export your link information from the goo.gl console.
For developers
Starting May 30, 2018, only projects that have accessed
URL Shortener APIs before today can create short links. To create new short links, we recommend
FDL APIs. FDL short links will automatically detect the user's platform and send the user to either the web or your app, as appropriate.
If you are already calling
URL Shortener APIs to manage goo.gl short links, you can continue to use them for a period of one year, until March 30, 2019, when we will discontinue the APIs.
As it is for consumers,
all links will continue to redirect to the intended destination after March 30, 2019. However, existing short links
will not be migrated to the Firebase console/API.
URL Shortener has been a great tool that we're proud to have built. As we look towards the future, we're excited about the possibilities of Firebase Dynamic Links, particularly when it comes to dynamic platform detection and links that survive the app installation process. We hope you are too!
Posted by Michael Hermanto,
Software Engineer, Firebase
