miji.beThe URL lifecycle is a management concept that systematizes the series of stages of a URL, from creation through operation and archiving to expiration. Just as physical products have a lifecycle, URLs, which are identifiers of digital resources, also go through stages from when they are created until they are no longer used.
The typical stages of the URL lifecycle are (1) creation (issuing the URL and registering metadata), (2) distribution (sharing via social media, email, printed materials, etc.), (3) operation (access monitoring, updating redirect targets, performance optimization), (4) decline (decreasing traffic, content becoming outdated), and (5) archiving or expiration (stopping access, saving or deleting data).
In URL shorteners, some short URLs have a fixed end date, such as those for campaigns. One practice is to decide at the time of issuance how the expiration date is set and how the URL is handled after it expires (a 410 Gone response, a redirect to an expired-link page, etc.).
Preventing link rot is also one of the purposes of lifecycle management. Some URLs on the web become inaccessible as the years pass. When a URL shortener shuts down, all links that go through that service stop working at the same time. Preparations include checking the SLA when choosing a service and having a migration plan (maintaining 301 redirects). There are also the options of saving pages to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine or using a permanent link service such as Perma.cc.