Should spaces be + or %20?

Both work in a query string. %20 is the safer default because it is also valid in the path and is understood outside browsers.

Do I need to encode values myself?

No. Values are percent-encoded automatically, so ampersands and equals signs inside a value cannot break the URL.

Can I put a password in a URL?

You can, but you should not. URLs appear in server logs, browser history and referrer headers, so anything sensitive leaks.

URL Builder

Build a URL from a base address and named parameters, with encoding handled for you.

Runs in your browserNo account neededFree

Processing: This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your input and any file you open stay on your device — nothing is uploaded to a server.

How to use the url builder

Enter the base URL, including https://.
Add each parameter as a name and value.
Copy the finished URL.

About this tool

The point of building a URL rather than typing one is encoding. A value containing an ampersand, an equals sign or a space will break a hand-typed URL apart, because those characters have structural meaning — the parser cannot tell your ampersand from the one separating parameters.

This uses the browser's own URLSearchParams, so every value is percent-encoded correctly no matter what it contains.

One choice is left to you: spaces can be encoded as + or as %20. Both are correct in a query string, and browsers accept either. %20 is the safer default because it also works in the path and outside browsers, where + is sometimes taken literally.

Common uses

Building a link with several query parameters by hand.
Encoding a value that contains spaces or symbols.
Constructing an API request URL for testing.

Frequently asked questions

Should spaces be + or %20?: Both work in a query string. %20 is the safer default because it is also valid in the path and is understood outside browsers.
Do I need to encode values myself?: No. Values are percent-encoded automatically, so ampersands and equals signs inside a value cannot break the URL.
Can I put a password in a URL?: You can, but you should not. URLs appear in server logs, browser history and referrer headers, so anything sensitive leaks.

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