URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode special characters for use in URLs or decode URL-encoded strings. Essential for web developers and SEO professionals.
About URL Encoding & Decoding
URL encoding is the process of converting characters into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet. URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character-set, so URL encoding replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits.
Common URL Encoding Examples
| Character | URL Encoded | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | %20 | Space characters are encoded as %20 (or + for query parameters) |
| ! | %21 | Exclamation mark |
| # | %23 | Number sign (hash) |
| $ | %24 | Dollar sign |
| & | %26 | Ampersand |
| ' | %27 | Single quote |
| ( | %28 | Opening parenthesis |
| ) | %29 | Closing parenthesis |
| + | %2B | Plus sign |
| , | %2C | Comma |
When to Use URL Encoding
- Query Parameters: When passing parameters in a URL query string
- Form Submissions: When submitting form data with application/x-www-form-urlencoded
- API Requests: When making API requests that include special characters
- Internationalization: When URLs contain non-ASCII characters
Tip
Different programming languages have built-in functions for URL encoding and decoding. In JavaScript, you can use encodeURIComponent() and decodeURIComponent() functions.