HTML Entity Encode and Decode
Easily encode special characters into HTML entities or decode them back to plain text. Free online developer tool.
Plain HTML Input:
Encoded Output:
What are HTML Entities?
Certain characters like `<` and `>` have special meanings in HTML. If you want a browser to display them as text instead of treating them as tags, you must convert them into HTML entities (e.g., `<` and `>`). This tool safely encodes your strings to prevent XSS and formatting errors.
Example
The text <div> encodes to <div>, so a browser displays the literal characters instead of interpreting them as an HTML tag.
Common Use Cases
- Safely displaying code snippets or HTML markup as visible text on a webpage.
- Preventing user-submitted text from being interpreted as HTML (XSS prevention).
FAQs
Is this enough to prevent XSS attacks on its own?
Encoding output is one important layer of defense, but a complete security approach also includes proper input validation and context-aware escaping throughout your application.