go-alias-rust

Tiny Rust web service that lets you type go/<alias> in a browser URL bar and get redirected to whatever URL you've saved for that alias. Visiting go/ (or any alias that doesn't match) shows a table of every saved shortcut.

How it works

• Binds to port 80 on 0.0.0.0.
• Shortcuts are stored in flat JSON files (shortcuts.json, hidden-shortcuts.json, work-shortcuts.json) as { "alias": "url" } pairs, loaded on startup and rewritten whenever you add/delete one from the web UI.
• Visiting /<alias> looks up the alias and issues an HTTP redirect to its URL. /<alias>/<extra> also works — it appends <extra> onto the saved URL (e.g. go/gh/OmegaGiven -> https://github.com/OmegaGiven).
• Anything that doesn't match a saved alias renders the shortcuts table instead of a blank 404.
• A basic theme system (colors/fonts) is included, editable from the Settings button in the nav bar.

Install (pick your OS)

Every release ships a one-step installer for each platform. Download the file for your OS, run it, and the service is installed, registered to start at boot, and running — no Rust toolchain, no manual setup.

• Linux: download the .deb, then sudo apt install ./go-alias-rust_*.deb (or sudo dpkg -i ./go-alias-rust_*.deb). Installs to /usr/bin, sets up a go-alias-rust systemd service, enabled and started automatically.
• macOS: download the .pkg, double-click it, follow the installer. Installs a LaunchDaemon that starts at boot and runs as root (needed for port 80).
• Windows: download the .msi, run it. Installs to Program Files\go-alias-rust and registers a Scheduled Task that starts the service at boot running as SYSTEM (needed for port 80).

Shortcut data lives outside the install location so upgrades don't touch it: /var/lib/go-alias-rust (Linux), /usr/local/var/go-alias-rust (macOS), %ProgramData%\go-alias-rust (Windows).

To uninstall: use your OS's normal package manager / "Add or Remove Programs" — each installer registers a proper uninstaller that stops the service and (optionally, on Linux via purge) removes the data directory.

Aliasing "go" to localhost

So that typing go/<alias> in your browser actually resolves, add an entry to your hosts file pointing go at wherever the service runs:

• Linux/macOS: /etc/hosts
• Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

127.0.0.1   localhost go

If you're running the service on a different machine on your network, use its IP instead of 127.0.0.1.

Building from source instead

If you'd rather not use the installer (e.g. you're modifying the code):

git clone https://github.com/OmegaGiven/go-alias-rust.git
cd go-alias-rust
cargo build --release

Port 80 needs elevated privileges. Rather than running the whole process as root, grant just the binary permission to bind low ports:

sudo setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' target/release/go_service
./target/release/go_service

To run it persistently at boot yourself (this is what the Linux installer's .deb already sets up automatically), use the systemd unit at packaging/linux/go-alias-rust.service as a template — update its WorkingDirectory and ExecStart paths to wherever you built the binary, place it in /etc/systemd/system/, then:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now go-alias-rust.service

Configuring shortcuts

Edit shortcuts.json directly, or use the + Add Shortcut button on the home page once the service is running. Format:

{
  "gh": "https://github.com/",
  "yt": "https://www.youtube.com/"
}

Restart isn't required — shortcuts save to disk immediately and take effect on the next request.