What is HTML Encoding?
HTML encoding (also known as escaping) is the process of converting special characters into their corresponding HTML entity representations. This ensures that special characters are safely rendered as text rather than being interpreted as HTML or JavaScript.
Why Use HTML Encoding?
HTML encoding is essential for:
- Preventing cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
- Displaying HTML tags as text in web pages.
- Ensuring special characters do not interfere with HTML structure.
Common HTML Encodings
| Character | Encoded Representation |
|---|---|
| < | < |
| > | > |
| & | & |
| " | " |
| ' | ' |
Limitations of HTML Encoding
While HTML encoding prevents many vulnerabilities, it should be combined with other security measures such as content security policies (CSP) and input validation to ensure robust web security.