How to Correctly Pass Slashes (/) in a URL Query String Using JavaScript?

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How to Correctly Pass Slashes (/) in a URL Query String Using JavaScript?

Why Slashes in URL Query Strings Can Be Problematic

In URLs, certain characters have special meanings. The slash (/) is used to signify directory levels. When you include slashes in your query strings, web browsers and servers might interpret them incorrectly, leading to unexpected results or errors.

Encoding Slashes Using encodeURIComponent

The encodeURIComponent function in JavaScript helps to encode special characters so that they can be safely included in URLs. It converts characters like slashes into their percent-encoded counterparts.

Here’s a simple example:

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Using encodeURIComponent, "search/term" gets encoded as "search%2Fterm", which can then safely be used within a URL query string.

Decoding Encoded Slashes Using decodeURIComponent

When you receive an encoded URL, you will need to decode it to retrieve the original string. This is where decodeURIComponent comes in handy.

Example:

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Using decodeURIComponent, you can convert "search%2Fterm" back to "search/term".

Using React Router with Encoded URLs

When working with React Router, you can use the encodeURIComponent to handle paths that include slashes.

Example:

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In this code snippet, the handleClick function encodes the query string before updating the URL.

Example:

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In this example, when the button is clicked, the query string is encoded and added to the URL.

Conclusion