Question 1

What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

Accepted Answer

encodeURI encodes a full URI but preserves :, /, ?, and #. encodeURIComponent encodes every reserved character — use it for individual query parameter values. This tool uses encodeURIComponent semantics for maximum safety.

Question 2

Why are spaces encoded as %20?

Accepted Answer

%20 is the standard percent-encoding for spaces in URIs per RFC 3986. Some systems accept + in query strings, but %20 is universally correct.

Question 3

Can I encode an entire URL?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but encoding an entire URL will also encode :// and /. For full URLs, encode only the query parameter values unless you need the entire string escaped.

Question 4

Is my URL data sent to a server?

Accepted Answer

No. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser.