HTML / UBB Converter
HTML Input
Output
UBB / Encoded HTML Input
Decoded Output
About HTML & UBB Encoding
HTML Entities
HTML entities represent special characters like < > & " that have meaning in HTML. Encoding these characters prevents code injection, XSS attacks, and ensures proper display in web browsers.
UBB Code
UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board) code is a lightweight markup language used in forums and message boards. It uses [tag] syntax instead of <tag> for formatting text, links, and images safely.
Security Benefits
Always encode user input before displaying as HTML to prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. This tool helps sanitize content by converting potentially dangerous characters to safe entities.
HTML/UBB Conversion Reference
Text Formatting
<b> ↔ [b] Bold
<i> ↔ [i] Italic
<u> ↔ [u] Underline
<s> ↔ [s] Strikethrough
Links & Images
<a href="url"> ↔ [url=]
<img src="url"> ↔ [img]
<a href="mailto:"> ↔ [email]
Common HTML Entities
< = < (less than)
> = > (greater than)
& = & (ampersand)
" = " (quote)
= non-breaking space
HTML/UBB FAQ
What is XSS and how does HTML encoding prevent it?
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) is a security vulnerability where attackers inject malicious scripts into web pages. By encoding HTML entities, characters like < and > are converted to < and >, preventing browsers from interpreting them as HTML tags. This stops injected scripts from executing.
When should I use UBB code instead of HTML?
UBB code is commonly used in forums, comment systems, and user-generated content areas where allowing raw HTML would be a security risk. UBB provides safe formatting options while preventing malicious code injection. Many forum platforms like phpBB, vBulletin, and Discourse support UBB/BBCode.
What's the difference between HTML encoding and URL encoding?
HTML encoding converts characters to HTML entities (e.g., < to <) for safe display in web pages. URL encoding converts characters to percent-encoded format (e.g., space to %20) for safe transmission in URLs. They serve different purposes and use different encoding schemes.
Are there different versions of BBCode/UBB?
Yes, different forum platforms implement slightly different BBCode variants. Common tags like [b], [i], [url], and [img] are widely supported, but advanced features may vary. Some platforms support [code], [quote], [color], [size], and custom tags. Always check your target platform's documentation.