Question 1

What is URL encoding and why is it needed?

Accepted Answer

URL encoding (also called percent encoding) converts special characters in URLs to a format that can be transmitted over the internet. Since URLs can only contain certain ASCII characters, special characters like spaces, punctuation, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded as % followed by hexadecimal values (e.g., space becomes %20).

Question 2

When should I use URL encoding?

Accepted Answer

Use URL encoding when building URLs with query parameters, form data, or path segments that contain special characters. Common use cases include: passing search queries in URLs, encoding user input for API requests, building dynamic links, and ensuring international characters are properly transmitted.

Question 3

What characters need to be URL encoded?

Accepted Answer

Characters that must be encoded include: spaces, quotes, <, >, #, %, {, }, |, \, ^, ~, [, ], and non-ASCII characters. Reserved characters like ?, &, =, /, :, and @ need encoding when used in query parameters or path segments but not when used for their reserved purpose in URL structure.

Question 4

Is my data safe when using this tool?

Accepted Answer

Yes! All encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your URLs and data never leave your device - nothing is uploaded to our servers or stored anywhere. The tool runs completely client-side for maximum privacy.

Question 5

What is the difference between URL encoding and Base64 encoding?

Accepted Answer

URL encoding is specifically designed for URLs and encodes only special characters using percent notation. Base64 encoding converts all data to a different character set and is primarily used for embedding binary data in text formats. Use URL encoding for query parameters and path segments; use Base64 for encoding entire binary payloads.

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