URL Encoder
Encode text for safe URL transmission
Convert text to URL encoded format. This tool is useful for encoding URLs, query parameters, or other web content that needs to be safely transmitted.
Common URL Encoding Use Cases
Search Query Parameters
Spaces in search queries must be encoded to prevent URL parsing issues.
Characters Reserved in URLs
Characters like &, #, and spaces have special meaning in URLs and must be encoded.
International Characters
Non-ASCII characters are encoded using UTF-8 byte sequences.
Form Data Submission
Email addresses contain @ symbols that need encoding in query parameters.
JSON Data in URLs
JSON objects contain many special characters that require encoding.
File Paths with Spaces
File names with spaces need encoding for proper URL handling.
Complex Query Strings
Complex filter expressions often contain special characters.
Social Media Sharing
Social sharing URLs often contain text with emojis and punctuation.
💡 Pro Tips:
- • Use encodeURIComponent() for individual parameter values
- • Use encodeURI() for complete URLs that should remain functional
- • Always encode user input before adding it to URLs
- • Test your URLs with international characters and special symbols
- • Remember that spaces can be encoded as either %20 or + depending on context
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) under certain circumstances.
URL encoding replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits. URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character-set. URL encoding is used to convert non-ASCII characters to a format that can be transmitted over the Internet.
URL encoding is essential for creating valid URLs and for sending form data in HTTP requests, especially when handling special characters, spaces, and international characters.
encodeURI vs. encodeURIComponent
encodeURI
- Encodes a complete URI
- Does not encode:
A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) - Also doesn‘t encode:
; / ? : @ & = + $ , # - Use for encoding a full URL
- Example:
https://example.com/path?name=John%20Doe
encodeURIComponent
- Encodes a URI component (like query parameter)
- Does not encode:
A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) - Encodes:
; / ? : @ & = + $ , # - Use for encoding parameter values
- Example:
name=John%20Doe&data=a%3Db%26c%3Dd
Understanding URL Encoding
Why is URL Encoding Important?
URL encoding is crucial for web development because URLs have a limited character set. They can only contain certain ASCII characters, and special characters must be encoded to prevent them from being interpreted as URL delimiters or causing parsing errors.
• Data Integrity: Ensures special characters are transmitted correctly
• Security: Prevents URL injection attacks and parsing errors
• Compatibility: Ensures URLs work across different systems and browsers
• International Support: Allows non-ASCII characters in URLs
Common Characters That Need Encoding
Reserved Characters
Special Characters
When to Use Each Method
Use encodeURI() when:
- Encoding a complete URL that you want to remain functional
- The URL contains path separators, query strings, or fragments that should remain unencoded
- You‘re encoding a full URL for storage or transmission
- Example: Converting a URL with spaces in the path
Use encodeURIComponent() when:
- Encoding individual parameters or values in a URL
- The data contains characters that have special meaning in URLs
- Building query strings dynamically
- Example: Encoding form data before adding to a query string
Best Practices
• Always encode user input: Never trust user-provided data in URLs without encoding
• Choose the right method: Use encodeURIComponent() for parameters, encodeURI() for full URLs
• Double encoding: Be careful not to encode already encoded strings
• Server-side validation: Always validate and sanitize on the server side as well
• Test thoroughly: Test with various character sets including international characters
Real-World Applications
Web Development
- Building dynamic URLs with parameters
- Encoding form data for GET requests
- Creating safe download links
- Social media sharing URLs
API Integration
- Query parameter encoding for API calls
- OAuth redirect URL construction
- Search API query encoding
- Webhook URL parameter handling