URL Encode / Decode

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding is the process of converting characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. This is crucial because URLs can only contain certain characters from the ASCII set. Characters outside this set, including special symbols and spaces, must be encoded into a format that browsers and servers can understand. Some characters have special meanings in URLs (like &, =, and ?) and must be encoded to ensure the URL functions correctly. For instance, the space character is encoded as %20, and a comma is encoded as %2C.

What characters are allowed in URL?

Available characters - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - _ . ~

Reserve characters - ! * ' ( ) ; : @ & = + $ , / ? % # [ ]

Note: reserve characters are allowed only under certain circumstances.

Common Use Cases

Web Development: URLs often need to include dynamic parameters that may contain special characters. Encoding ensures these parameters are transmitted correctly.

SEO: Proper URL encoding can help maintain readable and SEO-friendly URLs, which are essential for better search engine ranking.

Data Transmission: When passing data between web applications or APIs, URL encoding ensures that all characters are accurately transmitted without causing conflicts.