URL Encoder/Decoder Tool
Encode text for URLs or decode URL-encoded text back to original format. Essential for web development, API integration, and ensuring URL compatibility across systems.
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About Our URL Encoder/Decoder Tool
Our free online URL encoder/decoder is an essential tool for web developers, SEO specialists, and anyone working with web addresses and parameters. URL encoding (also known as percent-encoding) converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet, ensuring compatibility with all web browsers and servers.
Key Features
- Proper URL Encoding - Converts unsafe characters to percent-encoded format
- Accurate Decoding - Reverses URL encoding to original text
- Real-time Processing - Instant encoding and decoding as you type
- Error Detection - Identifies malformed URL-encoded strings
- Unicode Support - Handles international characters and emojis
Commonly Encoded Characters
- Space becomes
%20or+ - Ampersand (&) becomes
%26 - Question mark (?) becomes
%3F - Equals sign (=) becomes
%3D - Slash (/) becomes
%2F - Plus sign (+) becomes
%2B
Common Use Cases
- Encoding query parameters in URLs
- Preparing data for HTTP GET requests
- Creating SEO-friendly URLs with special characters
- Encoding form data for submission
- Working with API endpoints and web services
- Debugging and analyzing URL parameters
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is URL encoding necessary?
URL encoding is necessary because URLs can only contain a limited set of characters from the ASCII character set. Special characters, spaces, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded to prevent interpretation errors by browsers and servers, and to ensure reliable data transmission.
What's the difference between URL encoding and HTML encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) converts characters for use in web addresses using percent signs (e.g., %20 for space). HTML encoding converts characters to entities for display in web pages (e.g., for space). They serve different purposes and use different encoding schemes.
When should I use URL encoding vs. base64 encoding?
Use URL encoding for URL parameters, query strings, and path segments. Use Base64 encoding for binary data or when you need to embed data within URLs or other text formats. URL encoding is specifically designed for URL safety, while Base64 is for general binary-to-text conversion.
Why are spaces sometimes encoded as + instead of %20?
In the query string portion of a URL, spaces are often encoded as + for historical reasons, while in the path portion they should be %20. Most modern systems handle both, but %20 is the standard according to RFC 3986.
Can I encode entire URLs with this tool?
Yes, but be careful - encoding an entire URL will encode all special characters including slashes, colons, and dots, which will break the URL structure. Typically, you only need to encode specific components like query parameters, not the entire URL.