What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

encodeURIComponent escapes all reserved characters and is used for values inside URLs; encodeURI preserves URL structure and is used on complete URLs.

What does %20 mean in a URL?

It is the percent-encoded representation of a space character.

URL Encoder / Decoder & Query String Parser

URL Encoder / Decoder

Percent-encode text for safe use in URLs, decode encoded strings back to readable text, and break any URL into its parts with a query-parameter table.

Output

URL Breakdown

Click "Parse URL Parts" to inspect a URL.

encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI — Which One?

Use component encoding when inserting a value INTO a URL (a query parameter, a path segment): it escapes every reserved character including &, =, ? and /. Use full-URL encoding when cleaning up a complete URL: it keeps the URL structure characters intact and only escapes invalid ones like spaces.

Decoding reverses percent-encoding (%20 → space, %C3%BC → ü). The parser splits a URL into protocol, host, port, path, query parameters and fragment so you can inspect tracking links before clicking them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why does my & break the link?

A: An & inside a parameter VALUE must be encoded as %26, otherwise the browser treats it as a parameter separator. Use component encoding for values.

Q: What does %20 mean?

A: It is the percent-encoded form of a space character. + also represents a space, but only inside query strings.

Q: Does this tool send my URLs anywhere?

A: No — encoding, decoding, and parsing run entirely in your browser.