ESCAPE

String Escaper

Escape and unescape strings for JSON, JavaScript, Java, SQL, CSV, shell, regex, and XML in one place.

Escape options

Pick a direction and the format you are targeting.

Target format

Escapes the double quote and backslash, uses \b \f \n \r \t, and falls back to \u00XX for any other control character.

Wrap in quotes

Show the result with its surrounding quotes so it is ready to paste. When unescaping, matching outer quotes are removed first.

Escape non-ASCII

Rewrite every character above U+007E as \uXXXX so the output stays pure ASCII.

Input and result

Everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Input text55 characters

Result63 characters

"He said \"It's 100% done\".\nPath: C:\\temp\\new — café\tid=7"

The result updates automatically as you type.

What

String Escaper definition

String escaping rewrites the characters that would otherwise terminate or corrupt a string literal in a given language or file format. This tool converts text in both directions for JSON, JavaScript, Java or C#, SQL, CSV, POSIX shell, regular expressions, and XML attributes.

Cases

Use Cases

Embed a multi-line log excerpt in a JSON fixture.

Build a JavaScript literal without breaking the surrounding quotes.

Quote a file path that contains spaces for a POSIX shell command.

Prepare a CSV field that holds commas, quotes, or line breaks.

Turn arbitrary user input into a literal regular expression pattern.

Decode an escaped payload copied out of a stack trace or log line.

How To

How to escape or unescape a string

Choose a direction, pick a target format, paste your text, and copy the result.

Choose a direction

Switch between Escape and Unescape at the top of the options panel.

Pick a target format

Select JSON, JavaScript, Java or C#, SQL, CSV, shell, regex, or XML.

Paste your text

Type or paste the value; the result is recalculated on every keystroke.

Copy the result

Enable quote wrapping for a ready-to-paste literal, then copy the output.

Knowledge

String Escaping Essentials

Escape Sequences and Literals

Every language defines which characters end a string literal and what a backslash introduces, so the same text needs different escapes in JSON, Java, and a POSIX shell.

Lossless Round-Tripping

A correct escaper is reversible: unescaping the output must return the original text. Mixing the rules of two formats is the usual cause of doubled backslashes and broken payloads.

Security and Injection Risks

Escaping is a formatting step, not a security boundary. Use parameterized queries for SQL, argument arrays instead of shell strings, and a context-aware encoder for HTML, because a quote missed in one context becomes an injection in another.

FAQ

What is the difference between escaping and encoding?

Escaping keeps the text readable and only neutralizes characters that would end the literal, while encoding such as Base64 or percent-encoding rewrites the whole payload.

Is escaping a safe way to build SQL queries?

No. Quote doubling protects a literal in one dialect only, so always use parameterized queries or prepared statements for untrusted input.

Why can I not unescape a regular expression?

A backslash in a pattern can mean a literal character or a class such as \d, so reversing it is ambiguous. Only the escape direction is offered.

When should I escape non-ASCII characters?

Turn it on when a file format, protocol, or legacy toolchain must stay pure ASCII. UTF-8 pipelines normally keep the characters as they are.

Does the shell option protect against command injection?

Single-quoting removes the meaning of shell metacharacters, but passing an argument array straight to the process is still safer.

Does any text leave my browser?

No. All conversion runs client-side and nothing is sent to a server.

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