URLCheck 3.4

This application serves as an intermediary for opening URL links, providing a window that displays pertinent information about the URL and allows for modifications. It proves especially beneficial when accessing external links from various sources, such as emails, social networking applications, and others.

Developed by TrianguloY originally for personal use, URLCheck is an open-source application (under the CC BY 4.0 license), which is available free of charge. The application is devoid of advertisements and trackers, designed to be lightweight while requesting only essential permissions (specifically, internet access for module checks initiated by the user). For those interested in contributing to its development, the source code can be found on GitHub: GitHub Repository.

URLCheck is structured with a modular setup, allowing users to enable, disable, and reorder individual modules. The available modules include:

• Input Text: Displays the current URL for manual editing. This module cannot be disabled.
• History: Provides a way to view and revert any changes made in other modules, functioning as a typical undo/redo feature.
• Log: Maintains a log of all checked URLs which can be viewed, edited, copied, or cleared.
• Status Code: Initiates a network request to retrieve the URL status code (e.g., OK, server error, not found). If the URL corresponds to a redirection, further details can be obtained by interacting with the notification; however, redirections based on JavaScript will not be detected.
• URL Scanner: Allows users to scan URLs using VirusTotal for security reports. A free personal VirusTotal API key is required for this function. VirusTotal™ is a registered trademark of Google, Inc.
• URL Cleaner: Utilizes the ClearURLs catalog to eliminate referral and unnecessary parameters from URLs. It additionally supports common offline URL redirections, based on specifications available at ClearURLs Documentation.
• Unshortener: Interacts with unshorten.me to expand shortened URLs remotely.
• Queries Remover: Displays individual decoded URL queries for removal or verification.
• Pattern Module: Evaluates URLs against regular expression patterns to issue warnings or suggest replacements. Users can modify or create custom patterns, as well as utilize publicly shared ones. Notable built-in patterns include:
  • A warning for non-ASCII characters that may indicate phishing attempts (e.g., googĺe.com vs google.com).
  • A suggestion to replace 'http' with 'https'.
  • A recommendation to use privacy-friendly alternatives for platforms like YouTube, Reddit, or Twitter (disabled by default).
• Hosts Checker: Labels hosts based on predefined configurations that can be specified manually or via a remote hosts file. It assists users in identifying potentially harmful sites, utilizing StevenBlack's hosts list targeting adware/malware and disinformation sources from GitHub.
• Debug Module: Displays the intent URI along with additional information regarding custom tabs. This feature is geared toward developers.
• Open Module: Contains options for opening and sharing links. If multiple application options are available for a link, an arrow will appear allowing users to make their selection. This module cannot be disabled.