Linux

Install ShortUrl on Linux with systemd and nginx

System stage

This server should be powered by ASP.NET Core Runtime 3.1.0 / 5.0 / 6.0, systemd and nginx.

File stage

1. Build this project to get the binary output. Or, get the built version directly.
2. Create a folder for this service on server. The path of this folder should override <path/to/the/folder> in the code below and the configuration files related.
3. Copy binary files to this folder.
4. Change permission by these commands:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data <path/to/the/folder>
sudo chmod -R 755 <path/to/the/folder>

Systemd stage

1. Create a service file in /etc/systemd/system, named as shorturl.service.
2. Place the text from the example to this service file, replacing <port> to the number of a chosen free tcp port, and the <path/to/the/folder> as well.
3. Reload systemd by systemctl daemon-reload.
4. Start this service by systemctl start shorturl.service.
5. If everything goes will, you can see the port is listed in lsof -i -P -n | grep LISTEN. At last, set this service to start with system by systemctl enable shorturl.service.

Main configuration stage

All settings of ShortUrl is saved in file SecretNest.ShortUrl.Setting.json placed in the folder of this service. If the service is started without the file, the file will be created with default values. Before changing the file, the service should be stopped at first.

To change some core setting, which cannot be changed by management page, follow these steps:

1. Stop the service by systemctl stop shorturl.service.
2. Edit the file SecretNest.ShortUrl.Setting.json.
3. enableStaticFiles could be set to true or false. When enabled, all requests matched with path of a static file located in the folder specified will be served with the file data directly.
4. userSpecifiedStaticFileFolder could be set to a path of a folder, which is used to place all static files. This value is read only when enableStaticFiles is set to true. If this is set to null or empty string, the default value (wwwroot folder under the service folder) will be used.
5. preferXForwardedHost could be set to true or false. When enabled, host name is read first from the X-Forwarded-Host of the header. When using ShortUrl after a proxy, this value should be set to true. Otherwise, set this value to false for security purposes. For being accessed through Nginx reverse proxy, this value should be set to true.
6. All other settings can be changed by management page. Changing value in file is NOT recommended unless you cannot use HTTPS protocol for managing.
7. You should note the value of globalManagementKey for entering the management page.

Nginx stage

1. Create a site file in /etc/nginx/sites-available named as you wish, like example.com for example.
2. Choose from one.
   • If you want to use CertBot from Let's Encrypt later, place the text from the example to this site file, replacing to the number of the chosen tcp port for service, and the <SERVER_DOMAIN> to the domain name or names. Using HTTP only for servicing is acceptable. But using HTTP for management pages is highly NOT recommended.
   • If you want to use your own HTTPS certificate, place the text from the example to this site file, replacing to the number of the chosen tcp port for service, the <SERVER_DOMAIN> to the domain name or names, and the paths of the certificate files.
3. Enable this site by ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled.
4. Test configuration by nginx -t.
5. Reload nginx by systemctl reload nginx.
6. (Optional) Use CertBot to enable the HTTPS for this site. HTTP redirection is not required.

Test

By navigating to the server domain, you should be redirect to the default page (google.com in default config).

Management

• Enter the Global Management page by navigating to https://yourdomain/<globalManagementKey>.
  • This domain should be listed as global management enabled hosts. All domains are enabled if this list is empty.
  • <globalManagementKey> can be obtained from the configuration file by the step 7 of Main configuration stage.
  • <globalManagementKey> is displayed and can be changed in Global Management page.
• Enter Domain Management page by navigating to https://yourdomain/<domainManagementKey>.
  • By pressing the Manage button after the domain listed in Global Management page, browser will open this page as well.
  • <domainManagementKey> can be obtained from the configuration file.
  • <globalManagementKey> is displaned and can be changed in Domain Management page.

See this document for details.