URL Encoder / Decoder – Encode & Parse URLs Online
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Calcon's free URL Encoder/Decoder shows three encoding variants instantly — full URL, component-encoded, and path-encoded. The built-in URL Parser breaks any URL into its protocol, domain, path, query parameters, and hash.
Encoding Function Reference
| Function | Safe Characters | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| encodeURI() | A–Za–z0–9 ; , / ? : @ & = + $ - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) # | Full URLs |
| encodeURIComponent() | A–Za–z0–9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) | Query params, fragments |
| Path encoding | Encodes each segment, keeps / | URL paths |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (percent encoding) converts characters that are not allowed or have special meaning in URLs into a safe format. Each unsafe character is replaced by a percent sign (%) followed by its two-digit hexadecimal code. For example, a space becomes %20 and & becomes %26.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a full URL and leaves valid URL characters (like ://?#&=) untouched. encodeURIComponent encodes a URL component (like a query parameter value) and encodes everything including ://?#&=. Use encodeURIComponent for individual parameter values, encodeURI for a full URL.
Why do URLs need encoding?
URLs can only contain certain ASCII characters. Spaces, special characters, and non-ASCII characters (like accented letters or Chinese characters) must be percent-encoded so they can be transmitted over the internet without ambiguity. Without encoding, characters like & or = in parameter values would be misinterpreted as URL syntax.
What does the URL parser show?
The URL parser breaks down a full URL into its components: protocol (https:), domain/hostname (example.com), port, path (/page/slug), query parameters (key=value pairs), and hash fragment (#section). This is useful for debugging API endpoints and understanding URL structure.
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