This article provides a complete, practical walkthrough of the Manual Yourls Create Triggered n8n agent. It connects HTTP Request, Webhook across approximately 1 node(s). Expect a Intermediate setup in 15-45 minutes. One‑time purchase: €29.

What This Agent Does

This agent orchestrates a reliable automation between HTTP Request, Webhook, handling triggers, data enrichment, and delivery with guardrails for errors and rate limits.

It streamlines multi‑step processes that would otherwise require manual exports, spreadsheet cleanup, and repeated API requests. By centralizing logic in n8n, it reduces context switching, lowers error rates, and ensures consistent results across teams.

Typical outcomes include faster lead handoffs, automated notifications, accurate data synchronization, and better visibility via execution logs and optional Slack/Email alerts.

How It Works

The workflow uses standard n8n building blocks like Webhook or Schedule triggers, HTTP Request for API calls, and control nodes (IF, Merge, Set) to validate inputs, branch on conditions, and format outputs. Retries and timeouts improve resilience, while credentials keep secrets safe.

Third‑Party Integrations

• HTTP Request
• Webhook

Import and Use in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow or collection.
2. Choose Import from File or Paste JSON.
3. Paste the JSON below, then click Import.
4. Show n8n JSON

   Title:  
   Automate URL Shortening and Tracking with n8n and YOURLS  
   
   Meta Description:  
   Learn how to create a workflow in n8n that automatically shortens a long URL using YOURLS and retrieves key statistics related to the shortened link—all without writing any code.
   
   Keywords:  
   n8n, low-code automation, YOURLS, URL shortening, track link clicks, n8n workflow, link analytics, API integration, marketing automation, open source tools
   
   Third-Party APIs Used:
   
   - YOURLS API (Your Own URL Shortener)
   
   Article:  
   
   In today’s digital-first landscape, the ability to create and monitor shortened URLs is essential—especially for marketing, sharing, and analytics purposes. Manually shortening URLs and tracking click statistics can be time-consuming and inefficient. Fortunately, with n8n, an open-source low-code automation tool, you can streamline this entire process using a visual workflow engine.
   
   This article walks you through a simple n8n automation that takes a long URL, shortens it using the YOURLS API, and immediately fetches analytics data for the shortened link. Whether you’re a marketing manager, a content creator, or a data analyst, this automation will save you time and give you instant insights into your link performance.
   
   🛠 Workflow Overview
   
   The workflow consists of three main nodes:
   
   1. Manual Trigger – to activate the workflow manually whenever needed.
   2. YOURLS Node (Create) – shortens a long URL using the YOURLS API.
   3. YOURLS Node (Stats) – fetches statistics about the newly created short URL.
   
   Let's break it down step by step.
   
   ▶️ Step 1: Manual Trigger  
   The workflow starts with a Manual Trigger. This node allows a user to manually run the workflow during development or testing. Since the workflow isn’t yet connected to dynamic events (like an incoming webhook or API call), triggering it manually is the simplest way to test functionality.
   
   This component is helpful when you want to generate short URLs on demand or test data flows in development mode before deploying for production.
   
   🔗 Step 2: Create a Short URL with YOURLS  
   The next node uses the YOURLS (Your Own URL Shortener) node to generate a short URL. YOURLS is an established open-source solution for creating and managing personal short URLs. It features an API that allows external applications—like n8n—to interact with it for creating and tracking links.
   
   In this case, the node is configured with the following parameters:
   
   - Original Long URL:  
   https://medium.com/n8n-io/sending-sms-the-low-code-way-with-airtable-twilio-programmable-sms-and-n8n-90dbde74223e
   
   - Title:  
   “Sending SMS the Low-Code Way with Airtable, Twilio Programmable SMS, and n8n”
   
   The API returns a shortened version of the link, typically hosted under your custom domain configured in YOURLS.
   
   📊 Step 3: Fetch URL Statistics  
   Once the shortened link has been created, the output is automatically passed to another YOURLS node configured to call the stats endpoint. This node requests detailed analytics data about the short URL, such as:
   
   - Number of clicks  
   - Referrers  
   - Geolocation of users  
   - Timestamp of creation  
   - Last time accessed  
   
   This immediate retrieval of statistics saves time and integrates well into marketing dashboards, reporting tools, or further downstream automations (e.g., alerting you if a link reaches a certain number of clicks).
   
   💡 Real-World Use Cases  
   
   - Marketing Campaigns: Automatically shorten links before inclusion in emails or social media posts, and track performance in real time.  
   - Analytics Reporting: Feed click data into a Google Sheet or Airtable for centralized tracking.  
   - Custom Alerts: Add conditional logic to be notified via Slack or email when a link receives traffic.  
   - Branding: Use your custom domain for shortened URLs to reinforce your brand identity.
   
   🧩 Expandability and Automation  
   
   One of the great strengths of n8n is that workflows are modular—you can build on top of this simple automation. Examples include:
   
   - Replace the Manual Trigger with a Webhook to create links automatically from incoming HTTP requests.
   - Add Google Sheets or Airtable nodes to record the short URL and its stats dynamically.
   - Connect the YOURLS stats to a dashboard tool like Grafana or Metabase for advanced data visualizations.
   
   🔐 API Credentials Needed  
   
   To use this workflow with the YOURLS plugin, you'll need:
   
   1. A YOURLS instance (self-hosted or hosted by a third-party provider).  
   2. API credentials, usually consisting of an API signature token or username/password combination, depending on your YOURLS configuration.
   
   🧪 Final Thoughts  
   
   Using this n8n workflow to create and track short URLs is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible with low-code tools. With no coding required, you can deploy a solution that automates repetitive tasks, reduces human error, and saves hours of manual work in the long term.
   
   Whether integrating it into a larger marketing suite or using it standalone, you now have a robust foundation for managing and analyzing link performance—all automated, scalable, and open source.
   
   If you want to go further, consider adding authentication, conditional logic, or even tying this workflow into SMS and email automations to close the loop on communication and tracking.
   
   Happy automating!
   
   🧰 Tools Used:  
   - n8n: https://n8n.io  
   - YOURLS: https://yourls.org  
   
   📚 Additional Resources:  
   - n8n Documentation: https://docs.n8n.io  
   - YOURLS API Guide: https://yourls.org/#API  
   
   By simplifying parts of your workflow with automation, you free up time to focus on what truly matters—insightful content, impactful campaigns, and growing your business.

5. Set credentials for each API node (keys, OAuth) in Credentials.
6. Run a test via Execute Workflow. Inspect Run Data, then adjust parameters.
7. Enable the workflow to run on schedule, webhook, or triggers as configured.

Tips: keep secrets in credentials, add retries and timeouts on HTTP nodes, implement error notifications, and paginate large API fetches.

Validation: use IF/Code nodes to sanitize inputs and guard against empty payloads.

Why Automate This with AI Agents

AI‑assisted automations offload repetitive, error‑prone tasks to a predictable workflow. Instead of manual copy‑paste and ad‑hoc scripts, your team gets a governed pipeline with versioned state, auditability, and observable runs.

n8n’s node graph makes data flow transparent while AI‑powered enrichment (classification, extraction, summarization) boosts throughput and consistency. Teams reclaim time, reduce operational costs, and standardize best practices without sacrificing flexibility.

Compared to one‑off integrations, an AI agent is easier to extend: swap APIs, add filters, or bolt on notifications without rewriting everything. You get reliability, control, and a faster path from idea to production.

Best Practices

• Credentials: restrict scopes and rotate tokens regularly.
• Resilience: configure retries, timeouts, and backoff for API nodes.
• Data Quality: validate inputs; normalize fields early to reduce downstream branching.
• Performance: batch records and paginate for large datasets.
• Observability: add failure alerts (Email/Slack) and persistent logs for auditing.
• Security: avoid sensitive data in logs; use environment variables and n8n credentials.

FAQs

Can I swap integrations later? Yes. Replace or add nodes and re‑map fields without rebuilding the whole flow.

How do I monitor failures? Use Execution logs and add notifications on the Error Trigger path.

Does it scale? Use queues, batching, and sub‑workflows to split responsibilities and control load.

Is my data safe? Keep secrets in Credentials, restrict token scopes, and review access logs.