`urlencode() vs. rawurlencode(): Which PHP URL Encoding Function Should You Use?`

Understanding urlencode and rawurlencode: Which to prefer?

When encoding strings to create URLs, PHP offers two options: urlencode() and rawurlencode(). Each method handles character encoding differently.

rawurlencode adheres to RFC 1738 (prior to PHP 5.3.0) and RFC 3986 (afterwards). It encodes non-alphanumeric characters (%-escape), except for -_.~. This is primarily intended for preserving literal characters from being misinterpreted as URL delimiters.

In contrast, urlencode encodes spaces as plus signs, following the application/x-www-form-urlencoded media type. This is commonly used for encoding form data submissions.

Choosing the Right Option

Selecting between urlencode() and rawurlencode() depends on your requirements.

• Interoperability: For interoperability with other systems, rawurlencode is generally preferred, as it adheres to RFC 3986.
• Legacy Systems: However, for legacy systems that expect query strings in form-encoding style (spaces encoded as ), urlencode is still recommended.

Further Considerations

The tilde character (~) was encoded by rawurlencode according to RFC 1738 prior to PHP 5.3, but is no longer encoded as per RFC 3986.

RFC 2396 outlines valid URI syntax, where characters like , &, and $ within query components are reserved and should be encoded. rawurlencode aligns with this specification.

Ultimately, the choice between urlencode() and rawurlencode depends on the purpose and specific needs of your application.

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