HTML Entity Encoder
Safely encode or decode special characters to prevent code execution and display raw HTML.
Configuration
Standard only encodes reserved characters like <, >, &, ", and '. High strength encodes all non-ASCII characters.
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Understanding HTML Entities and Web Security
HTML Entity encoding is a critical process for web developers to ensure that data is displayed as content rather than executed as code.
Prevent XSS Attacks
Neutralize malicious scripts by converting executable characters into safe, displayable entities.
Display Raw Code
Effortlessly show snippets of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript on your blog or documentation pages without it breaking the layout.
Handle Special Chars
Ensure symbols like ©, ™, and foreign characters are rendered correctly across all browsers and devices.
What are HTML Entities?
In HTML, certain characters are reserved for the language's syntax. For example, the less-than sign (<) marks the beginning of a tag. If you want to actually display that character on a page, you must use its character entity reference: <.
Our **Dynamic HTML Entity Encoder** handles both named entities (like ©) and numeric character references (like ©). This flexibility ensures that your content remains accessible even in environments with limited character support.
The Role of Encoding in XSS Prevention
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is one of the most common security vulnerabilities on the web. It occurs when an application includes untrusted data in a web page without proper validation or encoding. [Image showing an XSS attack flow where a script is injected into a form and then rendered to other users] By encoding user input before rendering it, you "escape" the data, turning <script> into <script>, which the browser simply displays as harmless text.
Strategic Encoding for SEO and Accessibility
Search engines and screen readers rely on valid HTML structure. Broken tags caused by unencoded characters can confuse bots and assistive technologies. Using a professional encoder ensures that your code remains valid according to W3C standards, which can indirectly benefit your technical SEO performance.
HTML Entity FAQ
&) are easier for humans to read, while numeric entities (e.g., &) are technically more robust as they refer directly to a character's position in the Unicode set.
& < > " '. Our "Standard" setting handles this automatically.