# Random URL Generator

A simple, cross-platform command-line utility for generating cryptographically secure, random URLs. This project is a C# port of an original Python script, designed to provide unique, non-guessable hostnames for development and testing environments.

## Features

-   **Interactive Menu**: Simple menu to select the desired server type.
-   **Secure by Default**: Uses `System.Security.Cryptography.RandomNumberGenerator` for cryptographically strong randomness, equivalent to Python's `secrets` module.
-   **Customizable Prefixes**: Easily generates URLs for different services (PostgreSQL, Redis, RabbitMQ, etc.).
-   **Modern C#**: Written using modern C# features like top-level statements and switch expressions for clean, concise code.
-   **Cross-Platform**: Runs anywhere the .NET SDK is installed (Windows, macOS, Linux).

## Purpose

In development and cloud environments, there is often a need to create temporary resources with unique hostnames. This tool solves that problem by generating random, hard-to-guess URLs, which helps:

1.  **Prevent Naming Collisions**: The random string ensures each generated URL is unique.
2.  **Enhance Security through Obscurity**: While not a replacement for proper authentication, a non-guessable hostname makes it harder for unauthorized users to discover or access temporary services.

## Prerequisites

To run this project, you will need the **.NET 6 SDK** or later installed on your system.

-   [Download the .NET SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)

## How to Run

1.  **Clone or Download the Code**
    Clone this repository to your local machine or simply download the `Program.cs` file.

    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/rideaware/url_gen.git
    cd url_gen
    ```

2.  **Run from the Command Line**
    Navigate to the project's root directory in your terminal and use the `dotnet run` command. The .NET SDK will automatically compile and execute the application.

    ```bash
    dotnet run
    ```

3.  **Follow the Prompts**
    The application will present you with a menu. Enter the number corresponding to your choice and press Enter.

### Example Session

```
Select a server type:
1. PostgreSQL (psql)
2. Redis (redis)
3. RabbitMQ (rabbitmq)
4. Sandbox Web Server (sandbox)
5. Staging Web Server (staging)

Enter a number (1-5) to select a server type, or 'q' to quit: 1
Generated URL: psql-4t9wz1qj.rideaware.org

Generate another URL? (y/n): y

Select a server type:
1. PostgreSQL (psql)
2. Redis (redis)
3. RabbitMQ (rabbitmq)
4. Sandbox Web Server (sandbox)
5. Staging Web Server (staging)

Enter a number (1-5) to select a server type, or 'q' to quit: 4
Generated URL: sandbox-k8m3v7b2.rideaware.org

Generate another URL? (y/n): n
```

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the `LICENSE` file for details.