Does your application allow users to share links? Turn on secure link previews!
Tags: javascript, api, developer, security
Published: 2023-04-19 08:56:32

In this article, we will explore why and how you should extract metadata from a URL, and discuss ways to do this in a secure and efficient way.

As the internet continues to evolve, the way we share and consume content online has also changed. Link sharing has become a ubiquitous feature across various websites and applications, allowing users to share links to articles, images, videos, and other forms of media. However, link sharing can also pose several security risks, as cybercriminals use links to spread malware, steal sensitive information, or launch cross-site scripting attacks.

To help mitigate such kinds of risks, many websites and applications need to scan the links being shared for any reported malware. Moreover, generating a preview of the link being shared (the webpage to which the link directs to) gives the consumers a peek into the contents of the url, without having to actually open it. 

In this article, we will explore why and how you should extract metadata from a URL, and discuss ways to do this in a secure and efficient way.

## Why Extract Metadata from a URL?

Here are some of the reasons why as a developer you should consider implementing a link preview utility on your website or application:

1. **Enhance  the user experience:** Link previews can help you get a quick overview of the linked content, without having to click on the link and navigate away from the current page. This can save time and enhance the user experience by providing a seamless browsing experience.

2. **Improve your Website/ Application Credibility:** Link previews can also enhance the credibility of your website or application, as they provide a visual confirmation of the content being shared. This can help build trust with your users and improve the overall reputation of your application.

3. **Prevent Security Threats:** Link previews that also scan for malware can also help reduce the exposure to security threats, such as malware and phishing attacks as they scan the urls being shared against well known malware databases. This can help protect users from falling victim to malicious schemes.


## How to Extract Metadata from a URL


If you want to extract metadata from a URL, there are different options that you can use including web scraping techniques, web scraping tools, or APIs,


1. **Use Open Graph Protocol** :Many websites include Open Graph Protocol (OGP) metadata in their HTML code, which provides information such as the page title, description, image, and URL. You can extract this metadata by parsing the HTML code of the webpage using a programming language like Python and a library like BeautifulSoup.

    OGP provides a fairly standardized way of including metadata in a webpage, making it easy for you to extract the necessary information. However, not all websites include OGP metadata, and the metadata may not always be up-to-date or accurate.

2. **Use a Web Scraping Tool** :If you don't want to write code, you can use a web scraping tool like ParseHub, Scrapy, or Octoparse to extract metadata from a URL. These tools allow you to create a web scraping project by selecting the elements that should be extracted using their point-and-click interface.

    Web scraping tools are user-friendly and require no coding knowledge. However, they may not be as flexible or customizable as writing code, and they may not work on all websites.

3. **Use an API** :Some services offer APIs that provide metadata for a given URL. For example, the Embedly API provides information such as the title, description, author, and thumbnail image of a webpage. The OpenGraph.io API also provides Open Graph metadata for any URL

One effective way to extract metadata from URLs and ensure secure link sharing is by using the ApyHub Link Preview API. With ApyHub, you and your team can easily integrate link preview functionality into your applications, allowing users to preview the content of a URL before clicking on it.


ApyHub's Link Preview API provides a comprehensive set of metadata for any URL, including the page title, description, image, and URL. This metadata is extracted in real-time, ensuring that users always see the most up-to-date information about the link they are previewing.

Additionally, it uses secure communication protocols, such as HTTPS, to ensure that all data exchanged between the user and the API is encrypted and protected from potential attacks.

This way you can ensure a more secure and user-friendly experience when sharing links on applications. With the ability to preview links and access comprehensive metadata, users can then make informed decisions about whether or not to click on a link, helping mitigate potential security risks.