Google's URL Shortener Goo.gl Gets an API

Google's URL shortener is continuing its expansion with the launch of an API to enable third-parties to incorporate the service into their apps or websites. This should give a further boost to Goo.gl which is already considered one of the most stable shorteners out there, not in the least because it's backed by Google.

"Today we're happy to announce that we’ve launched the goo.gl API in Google Code Labs. The documentation can be found on the Google Code site, with example code in the Getting Started section," Ben D’Angelo, from Google's URL shortener team, announced.

"With this API, developers are able to programmatically access all of the fast, sleek goo.gl goodness that we currently provide via the web interface. You can shorten and expand URLs using the API, as well as fetch your history and analytics," he explained.

With the API, anyone will be able to add URL shortening capabilities to their apps or websites, powered by Goo.gl. API users will be able to create short links or expand existing ones.

Interestingly, they will also be able to access the link history and analytics data. For now, the only thing missing is the possibility to use custom URLs, to replace goo.gl, with the Google provided infrastructure.

"You could use these features for a wide variety of applications, enabling behaviors ranging from auto-shortening within Twitter or Google Buzz clients to running regular jobs that monitor your usage statistics and traffic patterns," D’Angelo further explained.

Even with the limitations, Google is encroaching further into the territory of commercial URL shortening services, notably Bit.ly. While Bit.ly is still the most popular shortener, with a safe margin, and offers more flexibility and features than Goo.gl, Google is a force to be reckoned with.

Google probably has no intention of monetizing Goo.gl, it launched initially as an internal shortener. The service was opened up to the world, via a web interface, a few months ago, enabling anyone to use it directly. Now Google is going further with the launch of the API.

It may be that the company has no plans or need to expand further beyond this, still, at this point, the free shortening service Google provides is at least on par with its competitors, which don't have the Google brand, funding or infrastructure to rely on.