How to URL encode a URL in JSP / JSTL?

Question

I want to create an encoded URL for my site. Say for example, for this URL: "http://google.com/index.html"

I want to give this URL to the client by URL encoding it.

Why would you want to do this on a JSP ? Can't you just use [UrlEncoder.encode()](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/net/URLEncoder.html) on the servlet and pass the data to the JSP ? — Deepak Bala, Apr 10 '13 at 10:21

score 40 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

40

Since you are using JSP, I would stick to JSTL and not use scriptlets. You could use the JSTL tag <c:url /> in combination with <c:param />:

<c:url value="/yourClient" var="url">
  <c:param name="yourParamName" value="http://google.com/index.html" />
</c:url>

<a href="${url}">Link to your client</a>

This will result in:

<a href="/yourClient?yourParamName=http%3a%2f%2fgoogle.com%2findex.html">Link to your client</a>

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

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answered Apr 10 '13 at 12:53

Jasper de Vries

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How can I pass an empty param value? I've tried `` but it results in `DocType%3d=`. I need only `DocType=`. – Mohammad Faisal Mar 30 '15 at 06:58
My expression fails since it includes a single quote there. (Poppo's Taqueria - Outpost). How can I solve by escaping, not replacing? – GeekySelene Apr 10 '19 at 11:43
Single quotes don't need URL encoding. – Jasper de Vries Apr 10 '19 at 13:19

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 25 '16 at 09:44

5

Using UrlEncoder.encode() is the answer. But the point is that this method doesn't percentage encode. Use:

java.net.UrlEncoder.encode(stringOfURL,"UTF-8").replace("+","%20")

edited Feb 25 '16 at 09:44

radoh

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answered Feb 06 '16 at 13:09

Mohsen Abasi

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should be java.net.URLEncoder not java.net.UrlEncoder – Matiaan Jun 19 '18 at 09:12

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 12 '19 at 19:04

1

The accepted answer is missing some JSP code to be valid, it should be:

<c:url value="/yourClient" var="url">
  <c:param name="yourParamName" value="http://google.com/index.html" />
</c:url>

<a href="<c:out value='${url}'/>">Link to your client</a>

As a comment pointed out, another option is to use JavaScripts encodeURIComponent method.

answered Feb 12 '19 at 19:04

Sebastián Ezquerro

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${url} and work the same in this case – algiogia Jan 14 '22 at 13:34

How to URL encode a URL in JSP / JSTL?

3 Answers3

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