HTML Escape Tool – Prevent XSS Attacks
When displaying user-generated content or HTML code as text on a webpage, special characters like `<`, `>`, and `&` must be converted to HTML entities to prevent them from being interpreted as HTML tags. This is essential for security, preventing XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks, and correctly displaying code examples. The HTML Escape / Unescape Tool by ToolfolioHub makes this conversion quick and safe.
Whether you're building web applications, documenting code, or creating safe content displays, this tool ensures HTML special characters are properly encoded or decoded.
What are HTML Entities?
HTML entities are special codes that represent characters that have special meaning in HTML:
- < → `<` (less-than sign)
- > → `>` (greater-than sign)
- & → `&` (ampersand)
- " → `"` (double quote)
- ' → `'` (single quote/apostrophe)
Escaping converts special characters to entities; unescaping reverses the process.
Key Features
1. Bidirectional Conversion
Convert in both directions:
- Escape: Convert special characters to HTML entities
- Unescape: Convert HTML entities back to regular characters
2. Instant Processing
Conversion happens instantly as you click the buttons. No server requests, completely client-side.
3. Secure XSS Prevention
Escaping user input prevents malicious scripts from executing, protecting against XSS attacks.
Common Use-Cases
- XSS Prevention: Escape user-generated content before displaying
- Code Documentation: Display HTML/XML code examples as text
- Content Management: Safely store and display HTML in databases
- API Responses: Properly encode HTML in JSON responses
Security Importance
Escaping HTML is critical for security:
- Prevents XSS: Stops malicious scripts from executing in browsers
- Protects Users: Prevents cookie theft, session hijacking, and data theft
- Best Practice: Industry standard for handling user-generated content
Conclusion
The HTML Escape Tool is essential for web developers building secure applications. By properly escaping and unescaping HTML entities, it prevents XSS attacks and ensures content displays correctly.