URL Encoder and Decoder
Encode URLs for safe transmission over the internet or decode URL-encoded strings back to original format.
How to Use the URL Encoder/Decoder?
Enter your URL or text and choose the appropriate encoding or decoding method.
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent encoding) is a mechanism to encode information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) under certain circumstances. It's used because URLs can only contain certain characters from the ASCII character set.
Why URL Encoding is Needed
- Special Characters: URLs cannot contain spaces, special characters, or non-ASCII characters
- Reserved Characters: Characters like ?, &, =, # have special meanings in URLs
- Safety: Ensures data is transmitted correctly across different systems
- Standards Compliance: Follows RFC 3986 specifications
Characters That Need Encoding
- Spaces: Encoded as %20 or +
- Special Characters: !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, etc.
- Non-ASCII Characters: Unicode characters
- Reserved Characters: ?, /, #, &, =, +
Encoding Methods
- URL Encode (urlencode):
- Spaces become + (plus signs)
- Used for form data and query parameters
- Example: "Hello World" → "Hello+World"
- Component Encode (rawurlencode):
- Spaces become %20
- RFC 3986 compliant
- Used for URL path components
- Example: "Hello World" → "Hello%20World"
Common Examples
| Character | URL Encoded | Component Encoded |
|---|---|---|
| Space | + | %20 |
| @ | %40 | %40 |
| # | %23 | %23 |
| % | %25 | %25 |
Use Cases
- Form Submissions: Encoding form data before submission
- Query Parameters: Encoding values in URL query strings
- API Requests: Encoding parameters for REST API calls
- File Names: Encoding file names in URLs
- Search Queries: Encoding search terms with special characters