Wondering if there is a good way to generate temporary URLs that expire in X days. Would like to email out a URL that the recipient can click to access a part of the site that then is inaccessible via that URL after some time period. No idea how to do this, with Django, or Python, or otherwise.
6 Answers
I think the solution lies within a combination of all the suggested solutions. I'd suggest using an expiring session so the link will expire within the time period you specify in the model. Combined with a redirect and middleware to check if a session attribute exists and the requested url requires it you can create somewhat secure parts of your site that can have nicer URLs that reference permanent parts of the site. I use this for demonstrating design/features for a limited time. This works to prevent forwarding... I don't do it but you could remove the temp url after first click so only the session attribute will provide access thus more effectively limiting to one user. I personally don't mind if the temp url gets forwarded knowing it will only last for a certain amount of time. Works well in a modified form for tracking invited visits as well.
It might be overkill, but you could use a uuidfield on your model and set up a Celerybeat task to change the uuid at any time interval you choose. If celery is too much and it might be, you could just store the time the URL is first sent, use the timedelta function whenever it is sent thereafter, and if the elapsed time is greater than what you want just use a redirect. I think the second solution is very straightforward and it would extend easily. It would be a matter of having a model with the URL, time first sent, time most recently sent, a disabled flag, and a Delta that you find acceptable for the URL to live.
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