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Developer GuideAugust 2026·4 min read

Mastering URL Encoding, Decoding & Query Strings

URLs are restricted to a limited set of ASCII characters. Learn why percent-encoding is essential, how query parameters are structured, and how to inspect them effortlessly.

URLGenZ URL Encoder, Decoder & Query Parser Tool

Why Do URLs Need Encoding?

Under RFC 3986, characters like spaces, ampersands (&), question marks (?), and non-ASCII symbols cannot be sent as plain characters. They are replaced by a % followed by two hexadecimal digits.

Common Percent-Encoded Characters

Space: %20 or +
Ampersand: %26
Question mark: %3F
Equals sign: %3D
Slash: %2F
Hash / Anchor: %23
Colon: %3A
At symbol: %40

The 4 Key Parts of a URL

  • Protocol: https:// indicates the secure transfer protocol.
  • Host: urlgenz.site indicates the server domain.
  • Path: /tools/check points to the specific resource.
  • Query String: ?ref=twitter&utm_source=social passes key-value parameters.

Parse, Encode & Edit URLs in Real-Time

Use our visual URL Encoder and Query String Inspector to add, edit, or remove URL parameters interactively.

Open URL Encoder & Parser →