Skip to main content

What is the purpose of htmlspecialchars()?

Entry PHP
Quick Answer htmlspecialchars() converts special HTML characters to their entities: & to &, < to <, > to >, " to ". Use before outputting user-supplied data in HTML to prevent XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks. Always use: echo htmlspecialchars($userInput, ENT_QUOTES, "UTF-8"). htmlentities() converts more characters but htmlspecialchars() is usually sufficient.

Answer

htmlspecialchars() converts < > & characters into HTML entities to prevent XSS attacks.
S
SugharaIQ Editorial Team Verified Answer

This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.

Want to bookmark, take notes, or join discussions?

Sign in to access all features and personalize your learning experience.

Sign In Create Account

Source: SugharaIQ

Ready to level up? Start Practice