Free URL Slug Generator
Generate clean, SEO friendly URL slugs from any page title or text. Fast, free, and works for any CMS or framework.
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What Is a URL Slug?
A URL slug is the readable part at the end of a web address that identifies a specific page. In the address https://example.com/blog/what-is-a-url-slug, the slug is "what-is-a-url-slug". Search engines and users both read slugs, so a clear and descriptive slug improves both SEO performance and click-through rate.
Hyphens vs Underscores in URL Slugs
Always use hyphens to separate words in URL slugs. Google treats hyphens as word separators, which means "url-slug-generator" is indexed as three separate words: "url", "slug", and "generator". Underscores connect words, so "url_slug_generator" is treated as a single word. Hyphens give each keyword in your slug its full SEO weight.
How to Write a Good URL Slug
Keep your slug to 3 to 5 words. Include your primary keyword. Remove stop words like "the", "a", "and", "of" as they add length without adding SEO value. Use only lowercase letters. Avoid dates unless the content is genuinely time-sensitive, because dated slugs become outdated quickly and discourage clicks.
Slugify Examples
| Page Title | Generated Slug | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Best Coffee Shops in London | 10-best-coffee-shops-london | Stop words removed |
| What is a URL Slug? | what-is-a-url-slug | Question mark removed |
| Fintech startups raised $34B in 2019 | fintech-startups-raised-dollar34b-2019 | Symbol replaced |
| Résumé Writing Tips for Developers | resume-writing-tips-developers | Accents transliterated |
| How to Use React Hooks in TypeScript | how-to-use-react-hooks-typescript | Stop words removed |
Slugify in Code
If you need to generate slugs programmatically within your own applications, here are common libraries and functions for popular languages.
Node.js / JavaScript
Use the popular slugify npm package:
import slugify from 'slugify';
const slug = slugify('My Awesome Title!', {
lower: true,
strict: true,
remove: /[*+~.()'"!:@]/g
});Python
Use the python-slugify package:
from slugify import slugify
slug = slugify("Any text goes here")PHP
Use the cocur/slugify package via Composer:
use Cocur\Slugify\Slugify;
$slugify = new Slugify();
echo $slugify->slugify('Hello World!'); // hello-worldFrequently Asked Questions
What is a URL slug?
A URL slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page. For example, in https://example.com/blog/what-is-a-url-slug, the slug is "what-is-a-url-slug". Slugs should be short, descriptive, and use hyphens to separate words for best SEO results.
Should I use hyphens or underscores in URL slugs?
Use hyphens. Google's John Mueller confirmed that hyphens are treated as word separators in URLs, while underscores join words together. "word-count-tool" is seen as three separate words by Google. "word_count_tool" is seen as one word "word_count_tool". Hyphens win for SEO.
How long should a URL slug be?
Aim for 3 to 5 words and under 75 characters. Shorter slugs are easier to share, remember, and read. Include your primary keyword but remove stop words like "the", "a", "and", "of". For example, "how-to-generate-url-slugs" is better than "how-to-generate-clean-and-seo-friendly-url-slugs".
What are stop words in URLs?
Stop words are common words like "the", "a", "an", "and", "or", "of", "in", "for". They add length to a slug without adding keyword value. For example, "the-best-free-url-slug-generator-for-seo" becomes "best-free-url-slug-generator-seo" with stop words removed. Both rank equally but the shorter version is cleaner.
Does URL slug affect SEO?
Yes, though it is a minor ranking factor. A descriptive slug that includes your target keyword helps Google understand what the page is about and can improve click-through rates in search results because users see the slug in the URL. Keep slugs short, include the main keyword, use hyphens, and use lowercase only.