HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder

Encode/decode HTML entities for web security

Input HTML/Text
Safe Output
Safe
0 dangerous chars

What are HTML Entities?

HTML entities are codes used to represent characters that have special meaning in HTML, or characters that are difficult or impossible to type directly. For example, the less-than sign (<) is represented as < and the greater-than sign (>) as >. This prevents browsers from interpreting these characters as HTML tags.

Our HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder helps you convert special characters to their HTML entity equivalents for security and compatibility. Encoding HTML entities is essential for preventing Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks and ensuring that text displays correctly in web browsers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why encode HTML entities?

Encoding HTML entities prevents XSS attacks by ensuring that user input is treated as text, not executable code. It also ensures special characters display correctly in all browsers.

What characters should always be encoded?

Always encode: < (<), > (>), & (&), " ("), and ' ('). These characters can break HTML or create security vulnerabilities.

What's the difference between encoding all characters and selective encoding?

Selective encoding only converts dangerous characters (<, >, &, ", '). Encoding all characters converts every non-alphanumeric character to entities, which is useful for displaying code examples.