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Enter text to encode:

Enter the text you want to encode. The tool will convert special characters to their percent-encoded equivalents.
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Output

percent-encoded

Percent-encoding is the silent glue of every US-built REST API: Stripe webhook query parameters, Salesforce SOQL queries embedded in URLs, Twilio SMS callback strings carrying raw user input, and the redirect_uri values negotiated through Auth0 and Okta all rely on RFC 3986 compliance. UK government services that follow the GOV.UK Service Manual likewise mandate strict URL-encoding when handing user-submitted reference numbers between microservices. This in-browser encoder follows RFC 3986 with the optional `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` variant available via toggle, so engineers can validate exactly what their fetch client or curl invocation is going to send across the wire.

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Advanced Options

Encode Spaces

When enabled, spaces will be encoded as %20 instead of being preserved.

Use + for Spaces

When enabled, spaces will be encoded as + instead of %20. This is commonly used in query parameters.

Live Mode

When enabled, the text will be encoded automatically as you type.

These options help you control how special characters are encoded in your URLs.

What is URL encoding?

URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is a crucial mechanism that ensures URLs can safely transmit special characters and data across the web. It's an essential part of web development and data transmission.

How does URL encoding work?

URL encoding follows a specific process to convert special characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the Internet:

  1. Special characters are identified in the URL string
  2. Each special character is converted to its ASCII hexadecimal value
  3. The hexadecimal value is prefixed with a percent sign (%)
  4. Reserved characters (like /, ?, :, etc.) are only encoded when they're data, not URL structure
  5. Spaces can be encoded as %20 or + depending on the context (+ is common in query parameters)

Why use URL encoding?

  • Special Character Safety: Ensure URLs work correctly with special characters and symbols
  • International Support: Enable URLs to handle non-ASCII characters and different languages
  • Data Transmission: Safely pass complex data through URL parameters
  • Compliance: Meet web standards and ensure broad compatibility across platforms

What are common applications of URL encoding?

URL encoding is essential in many web development scenarios:

  • Form Submissions: Encoding form data for GET requests and query parameters
  • API Development: Creating robust API endpoints that handle complex parameters
  • File Systems: Managing URLs with file paths and names containing special characters
  • Social Media: Sharing URLs containing special characters or international text

What does a URL encoding example look like?

Here are some common examples of URL encoding: space becomes %20 or +, @ becomes %40, # becomes %23, & becomes %26, and = becomes %3D. International characters like é becomes %C3%A9.

Understanding and properly implementing URL encoding is crucial for creating robust web applications that can handle diverse character sets and complex data transmission requirements.