Robert Chapin

As of WordPress 3.0, most of this plugin’s original features have been incorporated into WordPress itself. WordPress adds shortlinks to most pages by default. This plugin simply adds a settings page where you can easily make some minor adjustments.
WordPress shortlinks are useful for micro-blogging, by using your own domain instead of a 3rd-party short URL service.
The URLs are automatically added to the HTTP and HTML headers of each post, page, attachment, and category.
A template tag enables you to display a human-readable link in addition to the automatically generated headers. Use of human-readable links is highly encouraged, because Google is known to favor them and rank them higher than some longer URLs. This has the effect of boosting the rank of URLs that were deemed “too long” by Google’s standards. Also, in many mobile web browsers, the easiest way for a visitor to find a short link is by seeing it somewhere on the page.
The template tag idea can be extended further with CSS code for print media, which could ensure that each article’s short link URL is printed along with the article. This will make it much easier for the user to return to the article after reading a hard copy.
<h3>Theme</h3>
Current documentation should be found at <a href="https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/the_shortlink" rel="nofollow ugc">Function Reference/the shortlink</a>
Here is a basic reference for the template functions provided by Simple Short Links. WordPress 3.0+ users, see also wp-includes/link-template.php for more details about the_shortlink().
<pre><code>/**
 * Template Tag for Displaying the Short Link
 *
 * Must be called from inside "The Loop"
 *
 * Call like <?php the_shortlink(__('Shortlinkage FTW')); ?>
 *
 * @since 1.1
 * @param string $text Optional The link text or HTML to be displayed. Defaults to 'This is the short link.'
 * @param string $title Optional The tooltip for the link. Must be sanitized. Defaults to the sanitized post title.
 */
function the_shortlink($text = '', $title = '');
</code></pre>
A second, similar tag is now available in case you need to display a self-referring short link on a category page.
<pre><code>/**
 * Template Tag for Displaying the Short Link for a Category
 *
 * Should be called from outside "The Loop"
 *
 * Call like <? the_single_shortlink(__('Shortlinkage FTW')); ?>
 *
 * @since 1.3
 * @param string $text Optional The link text or HTML to be displayed. Defaults to 'This is the short link.'
 * @param string $title Optional The tooltip for the link. Must be sanitized. Defaults to the sanitized category name.
 */
function the_single_shortlink($text = '', $title = '');
</code></pre>
<h4>The CSS Printing Trick</h4>
Try adding something like this to your theme’s CSS file to make the URL for the short link appear when printed.
<pre><code>@media print {
 .shortlink a:link:after {
 content: " " attr(href);
 }
}
</code></pre>
The CSS example assumes the_shortlink() is used inside of a DIV or P element with a class attribute called “shortlink”.

Simple Short Links

Adjust the WordPress shortlinks format with an extra settings page.

Kitgenix

Affiliate URLs can get long, messy, and hard to manage — especially once they’re embedded across pages, posts, emails, and ads.
Kitgenix Affiliate Link Manager gives you a simple, central place to create and manage short affiliate links, and redirect visitors using a clean URL format:
<pre><code>/go/{slug} (prefix configurable)
</code></pre>
It’s designed to be lightweight and practical: 
– Create links with a Name, Slug and Destination URL 
– Organise larger libraries with link groups, tags, campaign views, and campaign notes 
– Schedule start and expiry windows, send inactive traffic to a fallback URL, and rotate between multiple live destinations 
– Run automated destination health checks that flag broken offers, merchant-side 404s, and redirecting destinations inside the dashboard 
– Track daily click timelines plus source, referrer, and placement attribution so reports show which links and placements perform best 
– Manage links through a REST API and WP-CLI commands for create, update, disable, import, and export workflows 
– Configure the redirect prefix (default: <code>go</code>) 
– Choose redirect status: 307, 302 or 301 
– Track click counts per link 
– No third-party redirect/short-link service (redirects happen on your site)
<h4>Features</h4>
<ul>
<li>Search links by name, slug, or destination URL from the main Links tab.</li>
<li>Organise links with one primary group, multi-tag labels, reusable campaign views, and campaign notes.</li>
<li>Schedule links with start/end dates, fallback URLs, and sequential or random destination rotation.</li>
<li>Run hourly health checks against primary, fallback, and rotated destinations, then show dashboard alerts when destinations fail or start redirecting.</li>
<li>Show a global analytics snapshot plus per-link 14-day timelines, top sources, top referrers, and top placements inside the Links tab.</li>
<li>Filter large link libraries by group or tag without leaving the main Links tab.</li>
<li>Use a protected REST API for listing, creating, updating, disabling, importing, and exporting links outside wp-admin.</li>
<li>Use WP-CLI commands for scripted link creation, updates, disable/enable actions, and JSON/CSV import-export workflows.</li>
<li>Paginate and sort large link libraries by Name, Slug, and Clicks.</li>
<li>Duplicate links, reset click counts, bulk delete links, and export selected links to CSV including campaign, schedule, rotation, health, and analytics data.</li>
<li>Copy generated short URLs with one click.</li>
<li>Temporarily disable a link without deleting it.</li>
<li>Choose a per-link rel value: <code>nofollow</code>, <code>sponsored</code>, or <code>nofollow sponsored</code>.</li>
<li>Tune how many links appear per page (10-200).</li>
<li>Get warnings when your chosen prefix may conflict with WordPress core URLs or an existing page slug.</li>
<li>Benefit from atomic click counting and object-cache-friendly slug lookups on busy sites.</li>
<li>Use the plugin safely on multisite installs with multisite-aware activation, deactivation, and uninstall routines.</li>
</ul>
SEO note: you can choose a per-link rel value (nofollow / sponsored / both). When placing your short URL into content, use sponsored/nofollow to follow search engine guidelines for affiliate links.
<h4>Notes</h4>
<ul>
<li>This plugin stores links in a private custom post type and performs redirects via WordPress rewrite rules.</li>
<li>If short URLs do not start working immediately after you change the redirect prefix, re-save Permalinks (Settings → Permalinks) so WordPress refreshes rewrite rules.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Quick Start</h3>
<ol>
<li>Install and activate the plugin.</li>
<li>Go to Kitgenix → Affiliate Links.</li>
<li>Add a link (Name + Destination URL + optional custom slug, schedule window, fallback URL, rotation rules, group, tags, and campaign note).</li>
<li>Copy the generated short URL and use it anywhere.</li>
<li>Use search, campaign views, analytics snapshots, group/tag filters, health alerts, sorting, pagination, or CSV export as your link library grows.</li>
</ol>
Automation tip: use the REST API or WP-CLI when you want to manage affiliate links in deployment scripts, migrations, or headless workflows.
<h3>Developers</h3>
Text domain: 
kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager
Custom post type: 
– <code>kitgenix_aff_link</code>
Taxonomies: 
– Link groups: <code>kitgenix_aff_group</code> 
– Link tags: <code>kitgenix_aff_tag</code>
Post meta: 
– Destination URL: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_destination_url</code> 
– Click count: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_clicks</code> 
– Rel value: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_rel</code> (allowed: <code>nofollow</code>, <code>sponsored</code>, <code>nofollow sponsored</code>) 
– Enabled flag: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_enabled</code> (1/0; defaults to enabled) 
– Campaign note: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_campaign_note</code> 
– Starts at: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_starts_at</code> (UTC timestamp) 
– Expires at: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_expires_at</code> (UTC timestamp) 
– Fallback URL: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_fallback_url</code> 
– Rotation mode: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_rotation_mode</code> (<code>none</code>, <code>sequential</code>, <code>random</code>) 
– Rotation destinations: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_rotation_destinations</code> (stored as an array) 
– Health status: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_status</code> 
– Health message: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_message</code> 
– Health checked at: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_checked_at</code> (UTC timestamp) 
– Health HTTP code: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_http_code</code> 
– Health final URL: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_final_url</code> 
– Health redirect hops: <code>_kitgenix_affiliate_health_redirect_hops</code>
Analytics table: 
– <code>{prefix}kitgenix_aff_click_stats</code> — stores daily aggregated click counts by link, source, placement, and referrer host.
Settings option: 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_settings</code>
Settings group (Settings API): 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_settings_group</code>
Redirect query var: 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_slug</code>
Admin actions / nonces: 
– Admin-post action (save): <code>admin_post_kitgenix_affiliate_link_save</code> 
– Admin-post action (delete): <code>admin_post_kitgenix_affiliate_link_delete</code> 
– Admin-post action (duplicate): <code>admin_post_kitgenix_affiliate_link_duplicate</code> 
– Admin-post action (reset clicks): <code>admin_post_kitgenix_affiliate_link_reset_clicks</code> 
– Admin-post action (bulk actions): <code>admin_post_kitgenix_affiliate_link_bulk</code> 
– Link save nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_save</code> 
– Link save nonce field name: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_nonce</code> 
– Link delete nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_delete</code> 
– Link delete nonce query arg: <code>nonce</code> 
– Link duplicate nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_duplicate</code> 
– Link reset clicks nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_reset_clicks</code> 
– Bulk actions nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_bulk</code> 
– Bulk actions nonce field name: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_bulk_nonce</code> 
– Settings save nonce action: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_settings_save</code> 
– Settings save nonce field name: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_settings_nonce</code>
Settings UI field identifiers: 
– Redirect status id: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_redirect_status</code> 
– Links per page id: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_links_per_page</code>
Developer filters: 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_slug_cache_ttl</code> (int $ttl, int $post_id, string $slug) — adjust redirect slug lookup cache TTL (seconds). 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_destination_url</code> (string $destination_url, int $post_id) — filter the final redirect destination before redirecting. 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_redirect_status</code> (int $status, int $post_id) — filter the HTTP redirect status per request. 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_manage_capability</code> (string $capability) — override the capability required to manage links. 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_health_check_timeout</code> (int $timeout, string $url) — adjust the outbound timeout used by destination health checks.
REST API: 
– Namespace: <code>kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1</code> 
– <code>GET /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links</code> — list links with optional <code>search</code>, <code>group</code>, <code>tag</code>, <code>enabled</code>, <code>orderby</code>, <code>order</code>, <code>page</code>, and <code>per_page</code> parameters. 
– <code>POST /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links</code> — create a link, including optional <code>starts_at</code>, <code>expires_at</code>, <code>fallback_url</code>, <code>rotation_mode</code>, and <code>rotation_destinations</code> fields. 
– <code>GET /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/{id}</code> — fetch one link. 
– <code>PUT|PATCH /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/{id}</code> — update a link, including schedule and rotation settings. 
– <code>DELETE /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/{id}</code> — move a link to the Trash. 
– <code>POST /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/{id}/disable</code> — disable a link. 
– <code>POST /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/{id}/enable</code> — re-enable a link. 
– <code>GET /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/export</code> — export filtered links as structured rows. 
– <code>POST /wp-json/kitgenix-affiliate-link-manager/v1/links/import</code> — import links with <code>match_existing=slug|id|none</code> and a <code>links</code> array payload. 
– Link responses and exports now include health fields such as <code>health_status</code>, <code>health_message</code>, <code>health_checked_at</code>, <code>health_http_code</code>, and <code>health_redirect_hops</code>. 
– Link responses and exports now also include analytics fields such as <code>clicks_last_7_days</code>, <code>clicks_last_30_days</code>, <code>timeline_14_days</code>, <code>top_sources_30_days</code>, <code>top_referrers_30_days</code>, and <code>top_placements_30_days</code>.
WP-CLI: 
– Base command: <code>wp kitgenix-affiliate link</code> 
– Subcommands: <code>get</code>, <code>create</code>, <code>update</code>, <code>disable</code>, <code>enable</code>, <code>delete</code>, <code>export</code>, <code>import</code> 
– <code>create</code> / <code>update</code> accept <code>--starts-at</code>, <code>--expires-at</code>, <code>--fallback-url</code>, <code>--rotation-mode</code>, and <code>--rotation-destinations</code>. 
– <code>export</code> supports JSON or CSV output. 
– <code>import</code> supports JSON or CSV input and can match existing links by slug or ID. 
– <code>get</code> and <code>export</code> output the stored destination health summary fields alongside the rest of the link record. 
– <code>get</code> and <code>export</code> also output analytics summary fields, including recent timelines and top attribution breakdowns.
Scheduled events: 
– Hourly health-check event: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_run_health_checks</code> 
– Initial catch-up event: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_run_health_checks_once</code>
Developer actions: 
– <code>kitgenix_affiliate_redirected</code> (int $post_id, string $destination_url, int $status) — fires after the click is counted and before the redirect exits.
<h3>External Services</h3>
This plugin includes a shared “Kitgenix hub” component in wp-admin which may fetch publicly available plugin metadata from WordPress.org using WordPress core’s <code>plugins_api()</code> function.
Caching: 
– Transient: <code>kitgenix_hub_wporg_active_installs_v1</code> 
– Transient: <code>kitgenix_hub_wporg_ratings_v1</code> 
– Transient: <code>kitgenix_hub_wporg_media_v1</code>
Redirect destinations: 
– When a visitor uses a short URL like <code>/go/{slug}</code>, the plugin redirects them to the destination URL you configured for that link. Destination URLs are commonly on third-party domains (affiliate programs).
<h3>Security & Privacy</h3>
<ul>
<li>No tracking cookies are added.</li>
<li>Admin actions are protected with capability checks and nonces.</li>
<li>Redirect destinations are validated before redirect.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Uninstall</h3>
By default, uninstall removes only plugin settings and plugin-only transients (it does not delete stored affiliate link posts or click data).
Optional: enable the “Delete all affiliate links and click data when the plugin is uninstalled” setting if you want a clean uninstall.
Deleted: 
– Option: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_settings</code> 
– Transient: <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_do_activation_redirect</code> 
– Transient (short-lived): <code>kitgenix_affiliate_link_manager_do_rewrite_flush</code>
<h3>Support Development</h3>
If this plugin saves you time managing affiliate URLs, you can support ongoing development here: 
https://buymeacoffee.com/kitgenix
<h3>Credits</h3>
Built with ❤︎ by @kitgenix – https://kitgenix.com

Kitgenix Affiliate Link Manager

Manage affiliate short links, branded redirects, and click tracking from one WordPress dashboard.

Simple Short Links vs Kitgenix Affiliate Link Manager