What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding, often called percent-encoding, is a web standard used to convert non-ASCII characters and special reserved symbols in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) into a format that can be reliably transmitted over HTTP. It achieves this by mapping unsafe characters to their hexadecimal value prefixed by a percent sign (`%`).
How to use URL Encoder
- Decide on your target mode: use Encode Component for key-value query parameters, or Encode Full URI if you want to keep the protocol (`https://`) and routing slashes intact.
- Type, paste, or drag your text or raw URL into the input field.
- The tool processes your input instantly and displays the percent-encoded version in the output panel.
- Click Copy Encoded to load the resulting string directly into your clipboard.
Benefits of URL Encoder
- Prevents Parameter Breaking: Safely encodes spaces, ampersands (`&`), and question marks (`?`) so they are not mistaken for query key-value delimiters.
- UTF-8 Character Support: Handles complex unicode characters, emojis, and foreign alphabets, generating valid ASCII representations for safe request headers.
- Local Browser Sandbox: Runs completely offline in your browser's runtime. Your inputs are never stored, transmitted, or evaluated on any remote backend.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are spaces encoded as `%20` instead of `+`?
`%20` is the standard percent-encoding for a space character in URIs. The `+` sign is historically used to represent spaces in form submissions (`application/x-www-form-urlencoded`), but is less universal for general URLs.
What happens to normal letters and numbers?
Standard alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and certain unreserved marks like `-`, `_`, `.`, and `~` are left unaltered by both encoding modes.