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Transitioning Google URL Shortener
to Firebase Dynamic Links
March 30, 2018
Posted by Michael Hermanto, Software Engineer; Firebase
We launched the Google URL Shortener back in 2009 as
way to help people more easily
share links and measure traffic online: Since then, many popular URL shortening services
have emerged and the ways people find content on the Internet have also changed
dramatically; from primarily desktop webpages to apps, mobile devices, home assistants,
and more.
To refocus our efforts, we're turning down support for goo.gl over the coming weeks and
replacing it with Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL): FDLs are smart URLs that allow you to
send existing and potential users to any location within an iOS, Android or web app. We're
excited to grow and improve the product going forward. While most features of
gl will
eventually sunset; all existing links will continue to redirect to the intended destination:
For consumers
Starting April 13,2018, anonymous users and users who have never created short links
before today will not be able to create new short links via the goo.gl console. If you are
looking to create new short links,
we recommend you check out popular services like
and Ow.ly as an alternative
If you have
existing goo.gl short links, you can continue to use all features of goo.gl
console for a period of one year; until March 30,2019,when we will discontinue the
console. You can manage all your short links and their analytics through the goo.gl
console during this period:
After March 30,2019,all links will continue to redirect to the intended destination: Your
existing short links
not be migrated to the Firebase console; however; you will be able
to export your link information from the goo.gl console_
For developers
Starting May 30,2018,only projects that have accessed URL Shortener APIs before today
can create short links. To create new short links, we recommend FDL APIs. FDL short links
will automatically detect the user's platform and send the user to either the web or your
app; as appropriate
are already calling URL Shortener APIs to manage goo.gl short links, You can
continue to use them for a period of one year; until March 30,2019,when we will
discontinue the APIs. For developers looking to migrate to FDL see our migration guide
As it is for consumers, all links
continue to redirect to the intended destination after
March 30, 2019. However; existing short links will not be migrated to the Firebase
console/API:
goo
Bitly
will
If you 
will