Free tool · Dev Utilities
URL Parser
Break a URL down into its protocol, host, path, and query parameters.
Paste any URL to instantly see it broken down into its protocol, host, hostname, port, path, hash, and origin, plus a readable list of every query string parameter and its value. Useful for debugging links, understanding tracking parameters, or building API requests.
- Files never leave your device
- Runs entirely in your browser
- Free, no account needed
How to use URL Parser
Two steps, and nothing to install.
Paste a full URL
Include the protocol, since a bare domain cannot be parsed unambiguously.
Read the breakdown
Protocol, host, hostname, port, path, hash and origin are separated out, with every query parameter listed and decoded.
More free tools
Free, private, and no sign-up on any of them.
How this works in your browser
Parsing uses the browser’s native URL interface, the same implementation used when resolving a real navigation, rather than a regular expression approximating the format. That matters more than it sounds: URLs have genuinely intricate rules around encoding, default ports, relative resolution and internationalised domain names, and hand-rolled parsing gets them subtly wrong in ways that only surface on unusual input. Query parameters are read through the same standard interface, which handles percent-decoding and repeated keys correctly. Nothing is fetched or transmitted, so inspecting a link here examines it without visiting it.
URL Parser vs. upload-based online tools
| Feature | URL Parser (in-browser) | Upload-based online tools |
|---|---|---|
| File upload required | No - never leaves your device | Yes - file is sent to a server |
| Processing queue | None - starts instantly | Often, especially at peak times |
| Watermark on output | Never | Common on free plans |
| Usage limits | None - free, unlimited use | Often capped per day or file size |
| Works offline once loaded | Yes, for most tools | No - requires a live connection |
| Account required | No | Often, for anything beyond a trial |
Who uses URL Parser
Debugging API requests
See exactly which parameters and values a request URL is carrying.
Inspecting tracking links
Break a long marketing URL into its real destination and its campaign tags.
Checking a suspicious link
Read the actual hostname before deciding whether to open something.
Cleaning up shared URLs
Identify which parameters can be stripped to shorten a link.
Frequently asked questions
What it can and cannot do, and what happens to your files.
Does the URL need a protocol like https://?
Yes, a full URL including the protocol is required for accurate parsing, matching how browsers interpret URLs.
Can it decode URL-encoded characters in query parameters?
Yes, query parameter values are automatically decoded using the browser’s built-in URL parsing.
Is the URL sent anywhere?
No, parsing happens entirely in your browser using the native URL API.
What are all those utm parameters in my links?
Campaign tracking tags, read by analytics tools to attribute a visit to a particular source, medium and campaign. They have no effect on the page you land on and can generally be stripped when sharing a link, which shortens it considerably and stops your share being credited to someone else’s campaign.
What is the difference between host and hostname?
Hostname is the domain alone; host includes the port when one is specified. On a standard site they look identical, which is exactly why the distinction bites during local development where a port is in play.
Why can the part after the hash not be seen by the server?
Because the fragment is never transmitted. Browsers use it locally to scroll to a section or drive client-side routing, and it is stripped before the request is sent. Anything you need the server to act on has to be in the path or query string instead.
Can I use this to inspect a suspicious link?
Yes, and it is a sensible habit. Seeing the real hostname separated out makes lookalike domains and long redirect chains far easier to spot than reading a wall of encoded text. Nothing is fetched, so inspecting a link here does not visit it.
Parse a URL instantly - free.
Files never leave your device. No upload, no account, and free for unlimited use.