AiTools
HTML entities and URL encoding: a quick cheatsheet
When to escape HTML entities and URL query values, with AiTools encoders that run in your browser for safe, local transforms.
Encoding mistakes cause broken links, XSS footguns in demos, and APIs that reject “perfectly fine” strings. A local encoder is enough for most one-off fixes.
HTML entities
Use HTML Entity Encode / Decode when you need visible <, >, or & inside content that will be interpreted as HTML. Encode before embedding untrusted samples in documentation pages; decode when you inherited an over-escaped CMS string.
URL components
URL Encode / Decode percent-encodes query values and path segments. Encode user-supplied search terms before building a URL by hand. Decode when reading messy logs where %20 and friends obscure the real string.
Base64 vs URL encoding
They solve different problems. Base64 is for binary-safe text transport; URL encoding is for putting reserved characters into URLs. Reach for Base64 Encode / Decode when the consumer expects Base64, not when you only need a safe query parameter.
Verify changes
Paste before/after into Text Diff if you are unsure whether a bulk replace did the right thing.
Keep samples safe
Even encoding tools see your plaintext. Prefer fake examples when teaching or filing public tickets.