# ForgeMesh URL Unshortener

> ForgeMesh URL Unshortener is a paid API for AI agents from x402.forgemesh.io, paid per call via x402, $0.003/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-14).

Follows any shortened URL and returns the full redirect chain, final destination URL, and HTTP status without the caller visiting the link directly.

## Facts

- Endpoint: POST https://x402.forgemesh.io/unshorten-url
- Price: $0.003/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-14
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/forgemesh-url-unshortener-992b4324
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_f0NN9ZyczOhhKrSfS2sEu

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability forgemesh-url-unshortener-992b4324 -d '<json body>'
```

Example prompt: Before I click this link — https://bit.ly/3xK9mZ2 — can you trace where it actually leads and show me the full redirect chain so I know it's safe?

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when an agent needs to safely determine where a short or opaque URL leads before visiting it, especially in security-sensitive contexts, automated pipelines where clicking unknown links is risky, or when building link-safety pre-checks. Prefer this over manually following redirects when you need the full chain and final status in a single call.

## Known failure modes

- URL is malformed or missing — validation error returned
- Short link has expired or been deleted — non-200 final status reflected
- Redirect chain is circular or too long — may time out or return error
- Destination server is unreachable — network timeout error
- Link requires JavaScript to redirect — resolution may stop at intermediate page

## How this service works

URL unshortener API: follow any short link safely and get the final destination, full redirect chain, and final status — without visiting it yourself. Link-safety pre-check for agents clicking the unknown web.

## Output

Returns the final destination URL after all redirects, the complete redirect chain showing each intermediate hop, and the HTTP status code of the final response — all resolved server-side so the caller never visits the link directly.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "url": {
   "type": "string"
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "chain": [
   "https://bit.ly/example",
   "https://t.co/x",
   "https://example.com/landing"
  ],
  "final_url": "https://example.com/landing",
  "redirects": 2
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/forgemesh-url-unshortener-992b4324/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from x402.forgemesh.io](https://www.zero.xyz/host/x402.forgemesh.io/llms.txt)