bit — Self-Hosted, Open-Source

Fast, lightweight, resource-efficient, compiled URL shortener.

License: MIT. Built with: Crystal, Dockerfile. Source: https://github.com/sjdonado/bit.

Features

Minimal tracking setup: Country, browser, OS, referer. No cookies or persistent tracking mechanisms are used beyond what's available from a basic client's request.
Includes X-Forwarded-For header.
Multiple users are supported via API key authentication. Create, list and delete keys via the CLI.
Easy to extend, Ruby on Rails inspired setup.
Auto update UA regexes and GeoLite2 database.

Installation

docker run \ --name bit \ -p 4000:4000 \ -e ENV="production" \ -e DATABASE_URL="sqlite3://./sqlite/data.db" \ -e APP_URL="http://localhost:4000" \ -e ADMIN_NAME="Admin" \ -e ADMIN_API_KEY=$(openssl rand -base64 32) \ sjdonado/bit # Create a new user # docker exec -it bit cli --create-user=Admin

Why self-host bit

Self-hosting gives you three things SaaS can’t: data ownership (the files live on disks you control), cost predictability (a one-time setup vs. recurring per-seat fees that grow with your household or team), and longevity (open-source means the app keeps working even if the maintainers move on, since you can pin a working version). The trade-off is that you take on the operational work of running a server, applying updates, and handling backups.

What hardware do you need

Most self-hosted apps run comfortably on modest hardware — a Raspberry Pi 4, a mini PC, a NAS with Docker support, or a small VPS is usually enough for personal or family use. CPU and RAM requirements scale with how many simultaneous users or how much data you push through bit. Storage requirements depend on the kind of data you keep; check the README for guidance on data retention.

Where to go from here

Last verified: 2026-04-21