Essays on building cutty.dev and what separates indie SaaS from the corporates.
How to include a link in your CV so that it remains readable, clickable, and doesn't break after moving your portfolio. Branded endings, QR codes, and replaceable targets.
How to set up links in a newsletter: separate branded suffixes for each link, a replaceable destination after sending, and click statistics without recipient profiling.
Shortening affiliate links: a readable suffix, hashed IP, and replacing the destination of a single link instead of editing old posts. A practical layout for affiliation.
T.ly alternative: a sincere comparison of two URL shorteners. Data jurisdiction, EU hosting, hashed IP, and replaceable link destination — when to choose what.
Bl.ink is a platform for corporations. Check when the bl.ink alternative like cutty.dev — simple, private, and in the EU — makes more sense so you don't overpay.
Linktree alternative: when a link page is better, and when one replaceable link that survives any change of purpose or print is better.
Short.io alternative under the microscope: where data lands, how much you pay for volume, and how statistics differ. A concrete comparison to branded links.
TinyURL alternative from the EU: comparing a classic URL shortener with cutty.dev — hosting in Europe, hashed IP, analytics without profiling, and link target replacement.
cutt.ly vs cutty.dev — two different URL shorteners, not a typo. We explain the difference: where the data is stored, hashed IPs, accounts, and replaceable link destinations.
Rebrandly alternative without monthly limits: branded links, EU-based hosting, and hashed IPs. Find out when it's worth paying for a subscription and when it isn't.
Have you thought about Dub? See where it wins, and when a lighter alternative to Dub like cutty.dev provides clean, private links in the EU without unnecessary complexity.
QR code for an event ticket without expensive ticketing: a simple recipe, a replaceable link, a legible printout, and entry statistics without guest profiling.
Dynamic or static QR code? Check which one to choose before sending flyers to print, so that your batch doesn't end up in the trash if the link destination changes.
Create a QR code for Google reviews with a measurable, replaceable short link. Track scans without profiling customers and collect reviews faster.
The QR code on the poster often fails to scan. Learn the rule of size, margin, and contrast, as well as the pre-print test, so that it works even from 5 meters away.
How to create a QR code for packaging that leads wherever you want once printed: a good landing page, scannable print, and changing the destination after launch without reprinting.
Create a QR code for WiFi so guests can connect with a single scan, without having to dictate the password. Format, guest network, and a replaceable link for when the password changes.
A QR code on a business card makes sense when it leads through a redirectable link. See how to create one, attach a vCard, and track scans without profiling.
A restaurant QR code menu based on a short, changeable link: one permanent code, menu updates without reprinting, and scan statistics without guest profiling.
URL shorteners collect click data — and that is already a GDPR issue. We explain what the shortener sees, where this data ends up, and why server location matters when you operate in the EU.
Sometimes you want a link to stop working—after a certain date or after a specific number of visits. We show you what expiring links and click limits are for, and when it is truly worth using them.
The shortened link counts every click. We show you how to read this data, the difference between a click and a unique click, and why you won't find link statistics in regular website analytics.
Instagram and TikTok give you one link in your bio. We show you how to make the most of it — with a short, branded address that you can swap out without changing your profile — without paying for a separate 'link in bio' tool.
A QR code with a logo in the center looks professional and builds trust. We show you how to create one, how much space the logo can take up while ensuring the code remains scannable, and how to do it without uploading your file to a third-party server.
cutty.dev is being built without VC funding, without a sales team, and without forced accounts. An essay on why a trimmer can be simple, free, and private — and for whom it is not.
A shortened link hides the true destination address. We show you how to safely check where it leads before you click on it, and how to recognize a scam attempt.
Review of the best link shorteners in 2026 — bit.ly, Dub, Rebrandly, Short.io, open source options and cutty.dev. What to choose depending on what you need.
What are UTM parameters, what are they used for, and how to build tagged links to know where traffic is coming from. Plus, why it is worth shortening such a long link at the end.
How to generate a QR code for free in a few seconds. We also show why a QR code based on a short link is better than a QR code pointing directly to a long address.
Bit.ly is the most well-known link shortener. We compare it fairly with cutty.dev — price, privacy, limits, link longevity — and we also say when bit.ly will be better.
How to shorten a long link in a few seconds, without creating an account and without paying. We show the entire process step by step, as well as what you can do with such a link next.
What is under the hood of cutty.dev and why. No evangelism — the philosophy: a boring, stable stack, EU-based hosting, and privacy built into the architecture, which a single person is able to maintain.
cutty.dev recognizes when you paste an address without https:// and adds it automatically. It sounds trivial. In practice, it's the difference between two seconds and clicking 'try again'.
Choosing the end of a short link is a small detail that matters more than it seems. I am showing why cutty.dev/your-brand works differently than random 8 characters.
You can add a password to your short link. We show you what's happening under the hood — without getting into jargon — and why it's even worth it.
cutty.dev now speaks twenty-five languages. A short story about what that means, why these specific languages, and how it was done without sending data externally.
The decision about where the server is located seems technical. For you as a user, it specifically means who can read your data and under what law the tool you are using operates.
A short link is not a gadget from 2010. In 2026, it is still the fastest way to fit anything into an SMS, a printed flyer, or an Instagram bio.
First post. What we'll write here and how often — and where to find us outside the blog.