How to Choose Between `urlencode`, `rawurlencode`, and `http_build_query()` for URL Encoding in PHP?

URL Encoding in PHP: Navigating the Options

When constructing a web form with a search function, ensuring the correct encoding of the search query is crucial. PHP provides a range of encoding functions, each tailored for specific purposes.

Query Value Encoding: urlencode and rawurlencode

For encoding the search query that will be part of the URI query value, the ideal functions are urlencode and urldecode. These functions adhere to the application/x-www-form-urlencoded standard, encoding spaces with the ' ' symbol.

URL Manipulation: http_build_query()

To construct an entire query string for submission to a PHP file, such as search.php, the http_build_query() function can be employed. This function takes an array as input and converts it into an encoded query string, ensuring all parameters are properly formatted.

Understanding the Difference: urlencode vs. rawurlencode

The distinction between urlencode and rawurlencode lies in their encoding methodologies. urlencode follows the application/x-www-form-urlencoded standard, while rawurlencode conforms to the simpler Percent-Encoding standard, where spaces are encoded as instead of .

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