Title: GT Link Manager
Author: Gaurav Tiwari
Published: <strong>Maret 21, 2026</strong>
Last modified: Maret 31, 2026

---

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# GT Link Manager

 By [Gaurav Tiwari](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gauravtiwari/)

[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/gt-link-manager.zip)

 * [Details](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/#description)
 * [Reviews](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/#reviews)
 *  [Installation](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/#installation)
 * [Development](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/)

## Description

**GT Link Manager** is a **100% free** high-performance branded link manager for
WordPress — no upsells, no premium tiers, no paywalls. It stores links in **custom
database tables** (not custom post types), resolves redirects early on `init`, and
keeps your site fast — even with thousands of links.

Your links follow a clean URL pattern: **yoursite.com/go/your-slug** (the prefix
is configurable and can even be removed on individual links).

**[Official Page & Documentation](https://gauravtiwari.org/product/gt-link-manager/)**
| **[Free Training Course](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/)**
| **[REST API & AI Tools Guide](https://gauravtiwari.org/gt-link-manager-rest-api-guide-ai-tools/)**

#### Why GT Link Manager?

Most link management plugins use custom post types, which means every redirect loads
the full WordPress template stack. GT Link Manager takes a different approach — 
it intercepts the request early, looks up the slug in a **UNIQUE-indexed database
column**, sends the redirect header, and exits. No theme loading, no unnecessary
queries.

#### Key Features

 * **Fast direct redirects** — resolves links on `init` (priority 0) via direct 
   DB lookup, no CPT overhead
 * **301, 302, and 307 redirects** — choose the right redirect type for SEO, temporary,
   or method-preserving redirects
 * **Rel attribute controls** — set `nofollow`, `sponsored`, and `ugc` per link 
   for proper SEO attribution
 * **Noindex support** — sends `X-Robots-Tag: noindex` header to prevent search 
   engines from indexing redirect URLs
 * **Categories and tags** — organize links into categories with parent/child hierarchy
   and free-form tags
 * **Full admin list table** — search, filter by category/status, sort by any column,
   and perform bulk actions
 * **Quick Edit** — update URL, slug, redirect type, rel, category, and status inline
   without leaving the list
 * **Activate / Deactivate** — disable a link without deleting it; inactive links
   stop redirecting but stay in the database
 * **Trash and restore** — soft-delete links to trash with the option to restore
   or permanently delete
 * **CSV import and export** — import links from CSV with column mapping preview,
   or export filtered links; includes **LinkCentral** and **Pretty Links** compatible
   presets, supports any CSV though as it allows you to map fields manually.
 * **Block editor integration** — a toolbar button lets you search your links and
   insert them directly into post content
 * **Branded URL preview** — see the full branded URL as you type, with one-click
   copy
 * **Normal and Regex Redirects** supported too. Don’t want to use a prefix like`/
   go/` ? Sure thing. Use the GT Link Manager as an alternative to Rank Math Redirections,
   Yoast Redirects, Redirection plugin etc. **Tested to be faster** than these top
   tools.
 * **Click stats** — can be activated to track link clicks using filters
 * **Developer-friendly** — actions and filters for redirect interception, URL modification,
   capability control, cache TTL, and more

#### Developer Hooks

GT Link Manager provides a comprehensive set of hooks for customization:

 * `gtlm_before_redirect` — action fired before redirect (use for click tracking
   or logging)
 * `gtlm_redirect_url` — filter to modify the destination URL
 * `gtlm_redirect_code` — filter to modify the HTTP status code
 * `gtlm_rel_attributes` — filter to modify rel attribute values
 * `gtlm_headers` — filter to modify redirect response headers
 * `gtlm_prefix` — filter to override the URL prefix
 * `gtlm_capabilities` — filter to override the required user capability
 * `gtlm_cache_ttl` — filter to set object cache TTL for link lookups

#### Free Training Course

The **[GT Link Manager Training](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/)**
is a free 25-lesson course (under 2 hours) covering everything from installation
to advanced developer integrations:

 * **Getting Started** — installation, admin interface, link creation, categories,
   and redirect configuration
 * **Configuration & Features** — settings, redirect mechanics, block editor integration,
   and bulk import/export
 * **Developer Reference** — REST API, hooks and filters, analytics integrations,
   webhooks, and advanced redirects

#### Analytics & Advanced Integrations

The **[Developer Reference](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/developer-reference-1771422601/)**
includes step-by-step integration guides for:

 * **Analytics** — Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Plausible Analytics, Fathom Analytics,
   Matomo, and Simple Analytics
 * **Tracking** — custom click logging to a database table, dashboard widget, and
   UTM parameter passthrough
 * **Automation** — webhook notifications for Zapier, Make, and n8n
 * **Advanced redirects** — role-based redirects (route by user role) and geo-based
   redirects (route by location)
 * **Customization** — custom response headers, hooks and filters reference

#### REST API & AI Tools

GT Link Manager has a full REST API that works with AI tools for programmatic link
management. The **[REST API & AI Tools Guide](https://gauravtiwari.org/gt-link-manager-rest-api-guide-ai-tools/)**
covers authentication setup, all available endpoints, and integration with AI platforms
including Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, WP-MCP, Novamira, Claudeus WordPress MCP, and
WordPress MCP Adapter.

### Source Code

The block editor assets (blocks/link-inserter/build/) are compiled from the source
at blocks/link-inserter/src/ using @wordpress/scripts. The full source code is available
in this plugin and on GitHub at https://github.com/wpgaurav/gt-link-manager.

To build from source:
 cd blocks/link-inserter && npm install && npm run build

## Screenshots

 * [[
 * **All Links** — admin list with search, filters, status views, and bulk actions
 * [[
 * **Add/Edit Link** — form with branded URL preview, redirect type, rel attributes,
   and categories
 * [[
 * **Categories** — manage link categories with parent/child hierarchy
 * [[
 * **Settings** — configure prefix, defaults, flush permalinks, and run diagnostics
 * [[
 * **Import/Export** — CSV import with column mapping preview and preset support

## Installation

 1. Upload the plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`.
 2. Activate it from **Plugins**.
 3. Go to **GT Links** in your wp-admin sidebar.
 4. Create your first link and test it using your prefix (default: **yoursite.com/go/
    your-slug**).

You can change the prefix from **GT Links > Settings** at any time.

## FAQ

### Is this a Pretty Links replacement?

Yes. GT Link Manager is built for **speed and simplicity**. It uses custom database
tables instead of custom post types, which means redirects resolve faster and don’t
pollute your posts table.

### Does it track clicks?

Click stats can be activated from **GT Links > Settings**. You can also use the `
gtlm_before_redirect` action hook to integrate with external analytics tools — see
the [Developer Reference](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/developer-reference-1771422601/)
for step-by-step guides for GA4, Plausible, Fathom, Matomo, Simple Analytics, and
custom click logging.

### Can I import from Pretty Links or LinkCentral?

Yes. Go to **GT Links > Import / Export**, choose the **Pretty Links** or **LinkCentral**
preset, upload your CSV, preview the column mapping, and import. You can also use
the **Generic** preset for custom CSV formats.

### How are redirects resolved?

The plugin hooks into WordPress `init` at **priority 0** (before most plugins load).
It parses the request URI, checks for your configured prefix, and looks up the slug
in a **UNIQUE-indexed column** in a custom database table. If a match is found, 
it sends the redirect header and exits immediately — no theme or template loading.

### Can I customize which users can manage links?

Yes. By default, any user with the `edit_posts` capability can manage links. Use
the `gtlm_capabilities` filter to change this per context (e.g., require `manage_options`
for settings but allow `edit_posts` for link creation).

### Is GT Link Manager really free?

Yes, 100%. There are no premium tiers, upsells, or paywalls. Every feature — including
advanced redirects, the REST API, CSV import/export, and block editor integration—
is included for free. There is also a free training course at [gauravtiwari.org](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/).

### Can I manage links with AI tools or the REST API?

Yes. GT Link Manager includes a full REST API for creating, updating, and deleting
links programmatically. This works with AI platforms like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex,
and MCP adapters. See the [REST API & AI Tools Guide](https://gauravtiwari.org/gt-link-manager-rest-api-guide-ai-tools/)
for setup instructions.

### Can I integrate with Google Analytics, Plausible, or other analytics?

Yes. The [Developer Reference](https://gauravtiwari.org/course/gt-link-manager-training/developer-reference-1771422601/)
has step-by-step guides for GA4, Plausible, Fathom, Matomo, and Simple Analytics.
You can also set up webhook notifications for Zapier, Make, and n8n.

### What happens when I uninstall?

Uninstalling the plugin (deleting it from **Plugins**) will **remove all data** —
both database tables and plugin options. Deactivating the plugin preserves all data.

## Reviews

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de441e3d0f898955ffeb09e7ea0e0a7626aacdad54b5f0d20be9983114dffb58?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[Best Link Management Plugin](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/best-link-management-plugin-2/)󠁿

 [Rajat Singh](https://profiles.wordpress.org/couponzania/) Maret 21, 2026

GT Link Manager is a refreshing find for anyone who values technical efficiency 
and a clean workflow. I appreciate how it prioritizes speed by using custom indexed
database tables, which means redirects happen almost instantly with nearly 0ms of
overhead. This level of performance is rare for a free tool and makes a noticeable
difference for SEO. The integration into the Gutenberg toolbar is another thoughtful
touch that saves me from constantly jumping between tabs while writing. It provides
professional features like granular SEO attributes and a full REST API without the
typical bloat found in other plugins. It is a reliable and high performance choice
for managing affiliate links or simple redirects.

 [ Read all 0 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/)

## Contributors & Developers

“GT Link Manager” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.

Contributors

 *   [ Gaurav Tiwari ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gauravtiwari/)

[Translate “GT Link Manager” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/gt-link-manager)

### Interested in development?

[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/gt-link-manager/), 
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/gt-link-manager/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/gt-link-manager/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/gt-link-manager/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).

## Changelog

#### 1.6.1

 * Fixed nonce mismatch bug — trash, restore, and permanent delete actions were 
   failing due to inconsistent nonce prefixes.
 * Fixed potential ReDoS vulnerability — removed error suppression on regex pattern
   matching, added pattern length validation.
 * Standardized all nonce prefixes to `gtlm_` across admin actions and list table.
 * Added REST API route descriptions to all endpoints for better discoverability.
 * Added object caching for admin category dropdown with proper invalidation on 
   create, update, and delete.
 * Updated readme with free training course, developer reference, REST API guide,
   and new FAQ entries.

#### 1.6.0

 * Added advanced redirects: Direct (prefix-free) and Regex (pattern-based) link
   modes.
 * Direct links redirect without the prefix — e.g., `yoursite.com/my-page` instead
   of `yoursite.com/go/my-page`.
 * Regex links match request paths against patterns with capture group substitution
   in destination URLs.
 * New “Enable Advanced Redirects” toggle in Settings (off by default) to opt in.
 * Link edit form shows mode selector (Standard / Direct / Regex) with contextual
   fields.
 * Conflict detection warns when direct link paths match existing WordPress posts
   or pages.
 * Regex patterns are validated on save; invalid patterns are rejected.
 * List table shows link mode with filter support.
 * REST API accepts and returns `link_mode`, `regex_replacement`, and `priority`
   fields.
 * New database columns: `link_mode`, `regex_replacement`, `priority` — fully backwards
   compatible.

#### 1.5.3

 * Fixed plugin zip size bloat — excluded .wordpress-org assets directory from distribution
   package.

#### 1.5.2

 * Added “Delete Data on Uninstall” setting — data is now preserved by default when
   the plugin is deleted.
 * Uninstall only removes tables and options if the user explicitly opts in via 
   Settings.

#### 1.5.1

 * Fixed CSS custom properties not resolving on some admin pages — all values are
   now hardcoded.
 * Fixed form-table double-card styling when rendered inside a card container.
 * Improved edit form submit buttons layout — buttons now display in a single horizontal
   row.
 * Improved branded URL preview styling with distinct blue tint.
 * Added subtle row separators inside card form tables.
 * Added WordPress.org SVN deploy to release workflow.
 * Added plugin banner and icon assets for WordPress.org listing.

#### 1.4.0

 * Renamed internal code prefix from `gt_` to `gtlm_` (4+ characters) per WordPress.
   org guidelines.
 * Fixed nonce verification order in CSV import handler — nonce is now checked before
   reading POST data.
 * Fixed SQL injection vector — `$orderby` now uses `%i` identifier placeholder 
   in prepared queries.
 * Added Source Code section to readme for compiled block editor assets.
 * Added card-based UI styling to all admin pages (edit link, categories, settings,
   import/export).
 * Settings page reorganized into General, Tools, and Diagnostics cards.
 * Clean uninstall now removes both old (`gt_`) and new (`gtlm_`) prefix options
   and tables.

#### 1.3.1

 * Block editor: aligned GT Link popover anchoring with core rich text behavior 
   using selection-based anchor.

#### 1.3.0

 * Refactored admin into separate actions and rendering classes for maintainability.
 * Added Pretty Links CSV import preset alongside Generic and LinkCentral.
 * Improved input sanitization on redirect URI parsing.
 * Added PHPCS configuration and Composer dev tooling.
 * Added uninstall.php for clean plugin removal (drops tables and options).
 * Improved build.sh with .distignore support and critical file verification.
 * Improved release workflow with version verification, checksums, and distribution
   validation.
 * Block editor popover anchor now uses bounding rect snapshot for reliable positioning.
 * Button primary color now follows WordPress admin theme color.
 * Lowered PHP requirement from 8.2 to 8.0.
 * Tested up to WordPress 6.9.

#### 1.2.3

 * Fixed release packaging bug that accidentally removed `blocks/link-inserter/build/*`
   from zip assets.
 * GitHub release workflow now compiles block editor assets before zipping and verifies
   build files exist.

#### 1.2.2

 * Fixed block editor link inserter not appearing on WordPress 6.8+.
 * Removed deprecated useAnchor hook that crashed the toolbar button on render.
 * Eliminated react-jsx-runtime dependency that prevented the script from loading
   on some WordPress versions.
 * Popover now anchors to the toolbar button for reliable positioning.

#### 1.2.0

 * Fixed critical bug: links disappeared after 1.1.9 update because new DB columns
   were not added on plugin update (only on fresh activation).
 * Added automatic DB migration that runs on update to add missing columns and backfill
   existing rows.
 * Fixed WordPress admin sidebar menu getting unintended card styles on the Settings
   page.
 * Improved Settings page: Flush Permalinks and Run Diagnostics buttons are now 
   inline, diagnostics output uses a clean table layout with status badges.

#### 1.1.9

 * Added link activate/deactivate toggle. Inactive links stop redirecting but remain
   in the database.
 * Delete now moves links to trash instead of permanent deletion. Links can be restored
   from trash.
 * Trash view with restore and permanent delete actions.
 * New bulk actions: Activate, Deactivate, Move to Trash, Restore, Delete Permanently.
 * REST API: DELETE defaults to trash (use `?force=true` for permanent). New `/restore`
   and `/toggle-active` endpoints.
 * Status column and views (All / Active / Inactive / Trash) in the links list table.
 * New `is_active` and `trashed_at` columns added to the links table on upgrade.

#### 1.1.8

 * Maintenance release.

#### 1.1.7

 * Block editor: Fixed editor scroll jump when opening GT Link popover from the 
   toolbar.
 * Block editor: Improved search input focus behavior so opening popover does not
   move viewport.

#### 1.1.6

 * REST API: Added full pagination (page, per_page, category_id, orderby, order)
   to GET /links endpoint.
 * REST API: Added args schema validation to all write endpoints (links, categories,
   bulk-category).
 * Security: Replaced innerHTML with DOM methods in admin quick edit to prevent 
   XSS.
 * DB: Added rel whitelist validation on filter queries.
 * Build: build.sh now compiles block editor assets before packaging.

#### 1.1.5

 * Maintenance release.

#### 1.1.4

 * Anchor popover to selected text using useAnchor from @wordpress/rich-text.

#### 1.1.3

 * Fixed format registration conflict with core/underline on WP 6.9+ (both used 
   bare span tag).
 * Added unique className to avoid tagName collision.

#### 1.1.2

 * Switch to RichTextToolbarButton for standard format toolbar integration.

#### 1.1.1

 * Force-inject format into RichText allowedFormats for reliable toolbar display.

#### 1.1.0

 * Rebuilt block editor link inserter with @wordpress/scripts build pipeline.
 * Fixed toolbar button not appearing in block editor.
 * Proper dependency resolution via index.asset.php.

#### 1.0.4

 * Fixed toolbar button registration in block editor for GT Link inserter.
 * Added selected-text autofill in GT Link inserter search field.
 * Improved redirect detection for WordPress installs in subdirectories.

#### 1.0.3

 * Enhance block editor integration with additional dependencies and improved format
   registration

#### 1.0.2

 * Minor internal hardening and cleanup.

#### 1.0.1

 * Fixed uninstall to preserve links and settings data across reinstalls.

#### 1.0.0

 * Initial release.

## Meta

 *  Version **1.6.1**
 *  Last updated **1 week ago**
 *  Active installations **100+**
 *  WordPress version ** 6.4 or higher **
 *  Tested up to **7.0**
 *  PHP version ** 8.0 or higher **
 *  Language
 * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/)
 * Tags
 * [affiliate links](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/affiliate-links/)[links](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/links/)
   [marketing](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/marketing/)[pretty links](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/pretty-links/)
   [redirects](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/redirects/)
 *  [Advanced View](https://su.wordpress.org/plugins/gt-link-manager/advanced/)

## Ratings

 5 out of 5 stars.

 *  [  1 5-star review     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/?filter=5)
 *  [  0 4-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/?filter=4)
 *  [  0 3-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/?filter=3)
 *  [  0 2-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/?filter=2)
 *  [  0 1-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/?filter=1)

[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/#new-post)

[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/reviews/)

## Contributors

 *   [ Gaurav Tiwari ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gauravtiwari/)

## Support

Got something to say? Need help?

 [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/gt-link-manager/)