Tutorials

PHP String html_entity_decode() Function

Posted in PHP Tutorial

Updated on Jan 16, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 164 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

PHP String html_entity_decode() Function

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

In PHP programming, dealing with HTML entities is a common task, especially when working with user-generated content or parsing HTML.

The html_entity_decode() function is a built-in PHP function that helps in converting HTML entities back to their corresponding characters.

In this tutorial, we'll explore the usage and functionality of the html_entity_decode() function.

💡 Syntax

The signature of the html_entity_decode() function is as follows:

Syntax

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string html_entity_decode ( string $string , int $flags = ENT_COMPAT | ENT_HTML401 , string|null $encoding = ini_get("default_charset") )

$string: The string to decode.
$flags (optional): A bitmask of one or more of the following flags:
- ENT_COMPAT: Default. Will convert double-quotes and leave single-quotes alone.
- ENT_QUOTES: Will convert both double and single quotes.
- ENT_NOQUOTES: Will leave both double and single quotes unconverted.
- ENT_HTML401: Default. Handle code as HTML 4.01.
- ENT_XML1: Handle code as XML 1.
- ENT_XHTML: Handle code as XHTML.
- ENT_HTML5: Handle code as HTML 5.
$encoding (optional): The encoding to use. If not provided, the default_charset configuration option will be used.

📄 Example

Let's delve into an example to illustrate how the html_entity_decode() function works.

html_entity_decode.php

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<?php

$htmlString = "This is an &lt;b&gt;example&lt;/b&gt; string.";

// Decode HTML entities
$decodedString = html_entity_decode($htmlString);

// Output the result
echo "Original String: $htmlString\n";
echo "Decoded String: $decodedString\n";

?>

💻 Output

Output

Original String: This is an &lt;b&gt;example&lt;/b&gt; string.
Decoded String: This is an <b>example</b> string.

🧠 How the Program Works

In this example, the html_entity_decode() function is used to decode HTML entities in a string and then prints the original and decoded strings.

↩️ Return Value

The html_entity_decode() function returns the decoded string.

📚 Common Use Cases

The html_entity_decode() function is particularly useful when you need to display or manipulate HTML content in a human-readable format. It's commonly used when working with user input in web applications.

📝 Notes

If you're working with XHTML, it's recommended to use the ENT_XHTML flag to ensure proper decoding.
Make sure to handle character encoding appropriately based on your application requirements.

🎢 Optimization

The html_entity_decode() function is optimized for performance. However, consider the use of appropriate flags and encoding options based on your specific needs.

🎉 Conclusion

The html_entity_decode() function in PHP is a valuable tool for handling HTML entities and converting them back to their original characters. It provides a convenient way to work with HTML content in a human-readable format.

Feel free to experiment with different strings and explore the behavior of the html_entity_decode() function in various scenarios. Happy coding!