Web structure: Encoding of special characters in URLs (Percent-Encoding)
Discover how URL encoding or Percent-Encoding works and why it is essential for transmitting secure parameters on the Internet.
Web structure: Encoding of special characters in URLs (Percent-Encoding)
The standard that defines the structure of Internet addresses (RFC 3986) establishes that a URL can only use a limited set of secure characters (alphanumeric letters of the English alphabet and some non-reserved symbols).
If a link requires sending spaces, accented characters, or special symbols (such as ñ), Percent-Encoding or URL encoding must be applied.
The danger of poorly processed characters
When a script or web browser attempts to process a URL that contains unencoded reserved characters (for example, sending a parameter containing the `&` or `?` sign), the browser may interpret this as a new parameter in the URL, causing web application errors or API crashes.
Correct encoding ensures that servers intercept and process text strings exactly as the user entered them.
To encode or decode web links quickly and locally from the privacy of your browser, you can use our tool:
Perform instant translations of parameters and links in a clean, secure and private way on your local device.
