URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode URLs and query parameters or decode URL-encoded strings. Perfect for working with web APIs, query strings, and URL parameters.

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Quick Examples

URL Encoding Tips

  • Always encode query parameters and URL components
  • Use Component Mode for query string values
  • Spaces are encoded as %20 in URLs (or + in query strings)
  • Reserved characters like ? & = must be encoded in values
  • URL encoding is essential for API requests with parameters
  • International characters require proper URL encoding

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) is a method to encode special characters in URLs so they can be safely transmitted over the internet. URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters, so any character outside this range must be encoded using the percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits.

For example, a space character becomes %20, and an ampersand (&) becomes %26. This encoding ensures that URLs are interpreted correctly by web servers and browsers, preventing conflicts with reserved URL characters and supporting international characters.

When to Use URL Encoding

Query Parameters: When passing values in URL query strings (e.g., ?search=hello world becomes ?search=hello%20world). This is the most common use case.

Path Segments: When including user-generated content or special characters in URL paths. For example, if a blog post title contains spaces or special characters.

Form Data: When submitting forms with application/x-www-form-urlencoded content type, all data is URL-encoded.

API Integration: Most REST APIs require URL encoding for parameters that contain special characters, international text, or reserved characters.

Encoding Methods Explained

Component Mode (encodeURIComponent): This is the recommended method for encoding individual URL components like query parameter values. It encodes almost all special characters except - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Use this when encoding values that will be part of a larger URL.

Full URL Mode (encodeURI): This method is designed for encoding complete URLs. It preserves URL structure characters like : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; = while encoding other special characters. Use this for encoding entire URLs, not individual parameters.

FAQ

Reserved characters like ? & = # / must be encoded when used as data (not URL structure). Special characters like spaces, quotes, <, >, {, }, and non-ASCII characters (like é, ñ, 中) also need encoding. Letters, numbers, and the characters - _ . ~ are safe and don't need encoding.
Never encode the entire URL if it already has proper structure (http://, /, ?, etc.). Only encode the values within the URL, especially query parameter values. Use Component Mode for individual parameters and Full URL mode only if you're encoding a complete URL string that may contain special characters.
Both represent spaces, but in different contexts. %20 is the standard URL encoding for space and works everywhere. The + character is a legacy shorthand for space in query strings (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). Modern applications prefer %20 for consistency.
If done correctly, no. URL encoding makes links work properly. However, double-encoding (encoding already encoded text) can cause issues. Always check if text is already encoded before encoding again. The decoder on DevToolsPro.org can help identify if text is already URL-encoded.
International characters (like Chinese, Arabic, emoji) are first converted to UTF-8 bytes, then each byte is percent-encoded. For example, the emoji "😀" becomes "%F0%9F%98%80". DevToolsPro.org handles this automatically using JavaScript's built-in encoding functions.
Yes, URL (Uniform Resource Locator) encoding and URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) encoding refer to the same concept. URLs are a subset of URIs. The encoding mechanism is the same - using percent-encoding to represent characters safely.

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