Programming Challenge: URL Shortener Checker (Jan 7, 2025)

Build a URL shortener that converts a long URL into a short one and allows users to retrieve the original URL from the shortened version.

Basic Requirements:

1. Accept a long URL as input and return a shortened URL.
2. Store the mapping between the long and short URLs.
3. Accept a shortened URL as input and return the original long URL.

Bonus Features:

• Use a hashing algorithm to generate the short URL.
• Add error handling to check if the input URL is valid.
• Implement file-based persistence so the mapping is saved between runs.

Example Output:

Enter a long URL: https://codenamejessica.com/forums/forum/9-programming-challenges
Short URL: https://short.ly/abcd1234

Enter a short URL: https://short.ly/abcd1234
Original URL: https://codenamejessica.com/forums/forum/9-programming-challenges

This challenge helps with string manipulation, data storage, and URL validation — a fun and practical project! 😊