The HttpUtility.UrlEncode(Byte[]) method can be used to encode the entire URL, including query-string values. If characters such as blanks and punctuation are passed in an HTTP stream, they might be misinterpreted at the receiving end. URL encoding converts characters that are not allowed in a URL into character-entity equivalents; URL decoding reverses the encoding. For example, when the characters < and > are embedded in a block of text to be transmitted in a URL, they are encoded as %3c and %3e.

To encode or decode values outside of a web application, use the System.Net.WebUtility class.

Namespace: System.Web
Assembly: System.Web (in System.Web.dll)
Assembly Versions: 1.0.5000.0, 2.0.0.0