Snai.ly allows API calls the old fashioned way, using username and password parameters (if your setup is private, obviously).

If you’re worried about sending your credentials into the wild, you can also make API calls using a secret signature token.

Signature token

Your secret signature token will be a string like 1002a612b4

A secret signature token is unique, and can be used only for API requests. You can request this by reaching out to our support team.

Usage of the signature token

Use parameter signature in your API requests. Example:

https://snai.ly/yourls-api.php?signature=1002a612b4&action=...

Usage of a time limited signature token

You can create signature token valid for a short period only (one hour by default)

First, craft the time limited signature token:

<?php
$timestamp = time();
$signature = md5( $timestamp . '1002a612b4' );
// Replace with your own secret signature token. Example result:
// $signature = "ed8d12124fc7916b00e3ecd7dc2c1d6a"
?>

Now use parameters signature and timestamp in your API requests. Example:

https://snai.ly/yourls-api.php?timestamp=$timestamp&signature=$signature&action=...

This URL would be valid for only 43200 seconds (12 hours), the default value of constant YOURLS_NONCE_LIFE.

To modify this duration, add the following to your config.php: define( 'YOURLS_NONCE_LIFE', number_of_seconds ); (note this also affect all the internal links of Snai.ly such as the ones to activate a plugin, delete a short URL, etc.)

Use other hash algorithms than md5

You can use any hash function instead of md5(). Simply add the hash=<hash algo> argument to your API request, for instance:

<?php
$timestamp = time();
$signature = hash('sha512', $timestamp . '1002a612b4' );
// $signature = "10c28ab4a8b1b6acf3bef1a3e3284f4984d... (128 chars)"
?>

Now use https://snai.ly/yourls-api.php?timestamp=$timestamp&signature=$signature&hash=sha512&action=...

NB: if you try to use a hash algorithm that your setup doesn’t support, you will get a simple authentication error as if the timestamp or signature were incorrect.