Question 1

When should I use URL encoding vs decoding?

Accepted Answer

Encode when: building URLs with user input, passing special characters. Decode when: reading query parameters, displaying URLs to users, processing form data.

Question 2

What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

Accepted Answer

encodeURI: encodes full URL, preserves :/?#[]@. encodeURIComponent: encodes everything except A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~. Use Component for query string values.

Question 3

What character encoding should I use?

Accepted Answer

UTF-8 is the modern standard - it handles all characters and is backward-compatible with ASCII. Use it unless you have specific legacy requirements.

Question 4

Will encoding/decoding change my data?

Accepted Answer

Proper encoding is reversible. However, using wrong encoding can corrupt special characters. Always use the same encoding for encode and decode.

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