Notes on links & the web's plumbing
March 12, 2026
301, 302, 307, 308: HTTP redirects, explained properly
Four status codes do almost all of the web's forwarding. Here's what each one actually tells a browser, and why shorteners care about the difference.
Read post →April 28, 2026
Link rot: the quiet decay eating the web's citations
Studies keep finding that a huge share of older links no longer work. What breaks them, and what link owners can do about it.
Read post →June 9, 2026
A practical guide to UTM parameters (without the mess)
UTM tags answer 'where did this click come from?' — if you use them consistently. A naming convention that holds up, plus how short links keep tagged URLs shareable.
Read post →July 21, 2026
QR codes and short links: a quietly perfect pairing
Shorter URLs make simpler, more scannable QR codes — and editable destinations make printed codes future-proof.
Read post →September 3, 2026
Do branded short links actually matter?
Readable slugs versus random codes: what each signals to the person about to click, and when a custom slug is worth the effort.
Read post →October 14, 2026
How to judge a link before you click it
Short links hide their destination by design. A practical checklist for clicking with confidence — on any shortener, including ours.
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