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Encoding & Decoding

Convert text and bytes between the formats that move data across the web: Base64, URL percent-encoding, HTML entities, hexadecimal, binary and similar schemes. They help developers debug requests and payloads, and help analysts and students understand what an encoded string actually contains.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Base64 a form of encryption?

No. Base64 is a reversible way to represent bytes as text and offers no confidentiality. Anyone can decode it in a second, so never use it to protect passwords or secrets.

Why does my decoded text show strange characters?

The bytes were most likely encoded with a different character set than the one used to read them. Base64 and hex work on bytes, so the result is only readable text if both sides agree on an encoding, usually UTF-8.

What is the difference between encoding a whole URL and a URL component?

Component encoding escapes reserved characters such as / ? & = so a value can sit safely inside a query string. Encoding a full URL keeps those characters, otherwise the address would stop working.

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