Shortn v2
Shortn v2 represents a complete architectural overhaul of my original URL shortening platform. While v1 was a functional proof of concept, v2 is an exercise in engineering maturity—applying strict standards, automated pipelines, and scalable patterns to build a production-grade SaaS.
This version was built not just to add features, but to correct the architectural limitations of its predecessor using the full breadth of knowledge I have accumulated over the last few years.
Architecture & Stack
The application is built on the Next.js 16 App Router, leveraging React Server Components for performance and SEO. The backend logic is integrated directly via Server Actions, reducing the need for a separate API layer while maintaining type safety.
- Framework: Next.js 16
- Database: MongoDB
- Styling: Tailwind CSS + Shadcn/ui
- Infrastructure and Deployment: Vercel
- Payments: Polar.sh
- Authentication: Better Auth
The Migration Challenge
Midway through development, the project faced a critical pivot point due to the "React2Shell" incident. This external platform shift forced an immediate and total rewrite of the authentication and payment infrastructure.
What could have been a project-ending blocker became a lesson in modular design. I had to rip out the existing auth/payment logic and integrate Better Auth and Polar.sh while preserving user data integrity. This required navigating complex business rule restrictions imposed by the new providers, forcing me to rethink how subscriptions and user sessions were handled on the backend. It shifted my focus from purely writing code to managing vendor constraints and architectural resilience.
Engineering Rigor & CI/CD
Unlike v1, this iteration enforces code quality through automated pipelines. I implemented a robust CI/CD workflow using GitHub Actions that ensures no code reaches production without passing a gauntlet of checks.
- Automated Testing: Jest pipelines run on every pull request to prevent regression.
- Static Analysis: ESLint and Prettier are enforced via Husky pre-commit hooks and CI gates.
- Release Management: Automated semantic versioning and release tagging.
Key Takeaways
Shortn v2 is currently serving enterprise clients like Vida Económica, handling millions of redirects. Building it taught me that software engineering is less about the code you write when things are going well, and more about how your architecture responds when dependencies break. It bridged the gap between building a "project" and maintaining a "product."