HTML Encoder/Decoder
Encode and decode HTML entities and special characters. Perfect for web development, data sanitization, and handling user-generated content safely.
InputPlain Text
OutputHTML Encoded
Quick Examples
How to Use the HTML Encoder/Decoder
Encoding
- • Converts special characters to HTML entities
- • Prevents XSS attacks
- • Safely displays user content
- • Choose named, numeric, or hex entities
Decoding
- • Converts HTML entities back to characters
- • Handles named and numeric entities
- • Shows HTML preview
- • Useful for data processing
Options
- • Auto-detection of encoded content
- • Quote encoding options
- • Space and newline handling
- • Multiple entity formats
Use Cases
- • Web development and security
- • Content management systems
- • Data sanitization
- • Email template creation
Understanding HTML Encoding
What is HTML Encoding?
HTML encoding converts special characters into HTML entities to prevent them from being interpreted as HTML markup. This is essential for displaying user content safely and preventing XSS attacks.
For example, the less-than symbol (<) is encoded as < to prevent it from being interpreted as the start of an HTML tag.
Why Use HTML Encoding?
HTML encoding is crucial for web security and proper content display. It ensures that user-generated content, code examples, and special characters are displayed correctly without breaking HTML structure.
This prevents cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and ensures that content containing HTML-like syntax displays as intended text rather than markup.
Common HTML Entities
| Character | HTML Entity | Numeric Entity | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| < | < | < | Less than |
| > | > | > | Greater than |
| & | & | & | Ampersand |
| " | " | " | Quotation mark |
| ' | ' | ' | Apostrophe |
| |   | Non-breaking space |
Security & Best Practices
Always encode user-generated content before displaying it in HTML to prevent XSS attacks. This tool processes data locally in your browser for privacy. Remember that HTML encoding is not encryption - it's a safety measure for proper content display and security.