Many developers start by thinking link unfurling is just a simple HTTP request. But once you move past the proof of concept, hidden costs start to pile up.
Fetching thousands of URLs reliably requires:
Sites change markup frequently. You’ll need to update your parser logic, handle edge cases, and monitor failures constantly.
Requests can take several seconds to complete. Caching strategies and background jobs are essential to avoid slowing down your app.
Storing URL data or user queries requires you to think about GDPR and other privacy laws. Handling this properly adds complexity.
URLPreview abstracts away all this work. You get fast, reliable previews without worrying about infrastructure or compliance.