HTML Encoder/Decoder
HTML Entity Encoding: Safely convert HTML special characters to entities or decode them. Useful for XSS prevention.
Standard: W3C HTML5 Standard - HTML Entities
HTML Encoder/Decoder converts HTML special characters (<, >, &, ", etc.) to HTML entities (<, >, &, etc.) and vice versa. All processing is done in your browser and data is never sent to our servers.
How to Use
- 1
Select "Encode" or "Decode" mode at the top.
- 2
In Live mode (default), conversion happens automatically as you type. In Manual mode, you need to click the button.
- 3
Enter HTML text. Special characters will be automatically converted to HTML entities.
- 4
In Encode mode, you can choose between Named Entity or Numeric Entity.
- 5
Copy the result to use in your HTML documents or code.
Use Cases
XSS Attack Prevention
HTML encode user input before displaying it on web pages to prevent malicious script execution.
Display HTML Code
When showing HTML code examples in blogs or tutorials, encode them so browsers don't interpret them as actual HTML.
Special Characters
Convert special characters like ©, ™, €, ♥ to HTML entities (©, ™, etc.) for consistent display across all browsers.
Data Validation
Decode HTML entities from APIs or databases to inspect the actual characters.
What are HTML Entities?
HTML entities are a way to safely represent characters that have special meaning in HTML. They start with & and end with ;.
Named Entity: Uses readable names (e.g., <, >, ©)
Numeric Entity: Uses character codes (e.g., <, >, ©)
Must encode: < (<), > (>), & (&), " ("), ' (')
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q.Is my data safe?
A. Yes, completely safe. All encoding and decoding operations are processed only in your browser; data is never transmitted to or stored on our servers.
Q.Is HTML encoding encryption?
A. No, HTML encoding is not encryption. It's simply a method to safely represent characters that have special meaning in HTML. Anyone can easily decode it, so it cannot be used to protect sensitive information.
Q.Difference between Named and Numeric Entity?
A. Named Entity (©, €) is readable and semantically clear but may not be supported in some old browsers. Numeric Entity (©, €) is supported everywhere but less readable. Named Entity is generally recommended.
Q.Which characters must be encoded?
A. In HTML, < > & " ' must be encoded. These characters define HTML structure, so to display them as text, convert them to < > & " '. Otherwise, browsers may interpret them as HTML tags.
Q.Can HTML encoding completely prevent XSS?
A. HTML encoding is an important defense against XSS but not a complete solution. It's effective when displaying user input in HTML body, but requires additional defenses when inserting into JavaScript strings or URLs. Implement a comprehensive security strategy.
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