entities vs he vs html-entities vs ent
HTML Entity Encoding Libraries Comparison
Search packages..
1 Year
entitieshehtml-entitiesentSimilar Packages:
What's HTML Entity Encoding Libraries?

HTML entity encoding libraries are essential tools in web development that help manage the conversion of special characters into their corresponding HTML entities. This is crucial for ensuring that web applications display text correctly and securely, especially when dealing with user-generated content. These libraries provide various functionalities to encode and decode HTML entities, thereby preventing issues such as XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks and ensuring that special characters are rendered properly in web browsers. Each library has its own unique features and performance characteristics, making them suitable for different use cases in web development.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
entities83,679,236341541 kB128 days agoBSD-2-Clause
he29,959,2633,504-257 years agoMIT
html-entities22,432,055661132 kB43 months agoMIT
ent5,611,9542115 kB06 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: entities vs he vs html-entities vs ent

Encoding and Decoding

  • entities:

    The 'entities' library offers extensive support for both HTML and XML entities, allowing for versatile encoding and decoding capabilities across different content types.

  • he:

    The 'he' library excels in both encoding and decoding HTML entities, with a focus on performance. It efficiently handles a wide range of characters and ensures that output is safe for web use.

  • html-entities:

    The 'html-entities' library provides a straightforward API for encoding and decoding HTML entities, making it user-friendly while supporting a variety of encoding needs.

  • ent:

    The 'ent' library provides a simple interface for encoding and decoding HTML entities, making it easy to convert special characters to their corresponding HTML representations and vice versa.

Performance

  • entities:

    While 'entities' is comprehensive, it may introduce some performance overhead due to its extensive feature set. It's best used in scenarios where versatility is more important than raw speed.

  • he:

    The 'he' library is optimized for performance, making it a great choice for applications that need to process large amounts of text quickly and efficiently.

  • html-entities:

    'html-entities' balances performance with ease of use, providing a good compromise for applications that need both speed and simplicity.

  • ent:

    'ent' is designed to be lightweight and fast, making it suitable for applications where performance is critical and minimal overhead is desired.

Complexity and Learning Curve

  • entities:

    'entities' may have a slightly steeper learning curve due to its comprehensive feature set, but it is still accessible for developers familiar with HTML and XML.

  • he:

    'he' is straightforward to use, but its performance optimizations may require some understanding of how encoding works under the hood, making it a bit more complex than 'ent'.

  • html-entities:

    'html-entities' is designed for ease of use, with a simple API that allows developers to quickly get started without extensive documentation.

  • ent:

    'ent' has a very low complexity and is easy to learn, making it ideal for developers who need a quick solution without a steep learning curve.

Customization and Extensibility

  • entities:

    'entities' allows for some customization, especially in how entities are handled, making it suitable for applications with specific encoding requirements.

  • he:

    'he' provides options for customizing the encoding process, allowing developers to fine-tune how entities are processed for their specific needs.

  • html-entities:

    'html-entities' offers a flexible API that allows for some degree of customization, making it adaptable to various use cases.

  • ent:

    'ent' is minimalistic and does not offer much in terms of customization, focusing instead on core functionality.

Community and Maintenance

  • entities:

    'entities' has a larger community and is actively maintained, ensuring that it stays up-to-date with the latest standards and practices.

  • he:

    'he' is widely used and well-maintained, with a strong community backing that contributes to its ongoing development and support.

  • html-entities:

    'html-entities' also has a good community presence and is regularly updated, making it a reliable choice for developers.

  • ent:

    'ent' is a smaller library with a limited community, which may affect long-term maintenance and support.

How to Choose: entities vs he vs html-entities vs ent
  • entities:

    Select 'entities' if you require comprehensive support for both HTML and XML entities, along with a broader range of encoding options. This package is ideal for applications that need to handle a wide variety of character sets and encoding scenarios.

  • he:

    Opt for 'he' if you need a robust library that supports both encoding and decoding of HTML entities, with a focus on performance and security. It is well-suited for applications that prioritize speed and efficiency in processing large amounts of text.

  • html-entities:

    Use 'html-entities' if you are looking for a library that offers a wide range of encoding options and is designed for ease of use. It is a good choice for developers who want a straightforward API with additional features like custom entity support.

  • ent:

    Choose 'ent' if you need a lightweight solution focused on encoding and decoding HTML entities with a simple API. It is particularly useful for projects that require minimal overhead and straightforward functionality.

Similar Npm Packages to entities

entities is an npm package that provides utilities for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It is particularly useful for web developers who need to handle special characters in HTML, ensuring that they are properly represented in the browser. The package supports a wide range of character encodings, making it a versatile choice for various applications. By using entities, developers can easily convert characters to their corresponding HTML entities and vice versa, simplifying the process of working with text that includes special characters.

While entities is a solid option for handling HTML entities, there are other libraries that offer similar functionality. Here are a few alternatives:

  • he is a robust library for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It is known for its performance and compliance with the HTML5 specification. he supports a wide range of character encodings and provides a simple API for developers to use. If you need a reliable and efficient solution for handling HTML entities, he is an excellent choice. Its focus on performance makes it suitable for applications that require fast processing of text.
  • html-entities is another library that provides encoding and decoding of HTML entities. It offers a straightforward API and supports both named and numeric entities. html-entities is easy to use and integrates well into various projects. If you are looking for a simple and effective way to manage HTML entities without additional complexity, html-entities is a great alternative.

To see how entities compares with he and html-entities, check out the comparison: Comparing entities vs he vs html-entities.

Similar Npm Packages to he

he is a popular JavaScript library for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It provides a simple and efficient way to handle HTML entities in strings, making it easier to work with text that may contain special characters. This is particularly useful for web applications that need to display user-generated content safely and correctly. While he is a robust solution for handling HTML entities, there are other libraries available that offer similar functionality. Here are a few alternatives:

  • entities is a lightweight library that provides encoding and decoding of HTML and XML entities. It supports a wide range of entities and is designed to be simple to use. If you need a straightforward solution for handling HTML entities without additional features, entities is a solid choice. It is particularly useful in scenarios where you want to ensure that your text is safely encoded for display in a web browser.

  • html-entities is another library that focuses on encoding and decoding HTML entities. It provides a simple API for converting characters to their corresponding HTML entities and vice versa. html-entities is lightweight and easy to integrate into any project, making it a good alternative for developers looking for a minimalistic solution to handle HTML entities.

  • sanitize-html is a more comprehensive library that not only handles HTML entity encoding but also sanitizes HTML content to prevent XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks. It allows developers to specify which HTML tags and attributes are safe to use, making it ideal for applications that need to display user-generated content securely. If your project requires both entity handling and HTML sanitization, sanitize-html is the best choice.

For a detailed comparison of these libraries, check out the link: Comparing entities vs he vs html-entities vs sanitize-html.

Similar Npm Packages to html-entities

html-entities is a popular npm package that provides utilities for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It allows developers to safely handle special characters in HTML, ensuring that text is displayed correctly in web applications. This package is particularly useful for preventing issues related to character encoding and for sanitizing user input. While html-entities is a solid choice for managing HTML entities, there are other alternatives available in the npm ecosystem. Here are a few:

  • entities is a comprehensive library for encoding and decoding HTML and XML entities. It supports a wide range of entities and provides a robust API for handling them. If you need a more extensive solution that covers both HTML and XML entities, entities is a great option. It is well-maintained and widely used, making it a reliable choice for projects that require entity handling.
  • he is another lightweight library designed for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It focuses on performance and simplicity, making it easy to integrate into any project. he is particularly useful for applications that require fast and efficient entity handling without the overhead of a larger library. If you are looking for a minimalistic approach to encoding and decoding HTML entities, he is an excellent choice.

To see how html-entities compares with entities and he, check out the comparison: Comparing entities vs he vs html-entities.

Similar Npm Packages to ent

ent is a lightweight JavaScript library designed for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It provides a simple API for converting special characters into their corresponding HTML entities and vice versa. This is particularly useful when dealing with user-generated content or when rendering HTML in a safe manner. While ent is a solid choice for handling HTML entities, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that also provide similar functionality. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • entities is a comprehensive library for encoding and decoding HTML and XML entities. It supports a wide range of character sets and offers a robust solution for handling entities in various contexts. If you need a more feature-rich library with extensive support for different types of entities, entities is a great option. Its flexibility and thoroughness make it suitable for applications that require precise control over entity handling.
  • he is another popular library for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It is designed to be fast and efficient, with a focus on performance. he supports both named and numeric entities and is particularly useful for web applications that need to ensure safe rendering of HTML content. If performance is a critical concern for your application, he might be the best choice due to its optimized handling of entities.
  • html-entities is a straightforward library that provides functions for encoding and decoding HTML entities. It is easy to use and integrates well into various projects. If you are looking for a simple and effective solution without the overhead of additional features, html-entities is a suitable alternative. Its simplicity makes it ideal for smaller projects or when you only need basic entity handling.

To see how ent compares with entities, he, and html-entities, check out the comparison: Comparing ent vs entities vs he vs html-entities.

README for entities

entities NPM version Downloads Node.js CI

Encode & decode HTML & XML entities with ease & speed.

Features

  • 😇 Tried and true: entities is used by many popular libraries; eg. htmlparser2, the official AWS SDK and commonmark use it to process HTML entities.
  • ⚡️ Fast: entities is the fastest library for decoding HTML entities (as of April 2022); see performance.
  • 🎛 Configurable: Get an output tailored for your needs. You are fine with UTF8? That'll save you some bytes. Prefer to only have ASCII characters? We can do that as well!

How to…

…install entities

npm install entities

…use entities

const entities = require("entities");

// Encoding
entities.escapeUTF8("& ü"); // "& ü"
entities.encodeXML("& ü"); // "& ü"
entities.encodeHTML("& ü"); // "& ü"

// Decoding
entities.decodeXML("asdf & ÿ ü '"); // "asdf & ÿ ü '"
entities.decodeHTML("asdf & ÿ ü '"); // "asdf & ÿ ü '"

Performance

This is how entities compares to other libraries on a very basic benchmark (see scripts/benchmark.ts, for 10,000,000 iterations; lower is better):

| Library | Version | decode perf | encode perf | escape perf | | -------------- | ------- | ------------- | ------------- | ------------- | | entities | 3.0.1 | 1.418s | 6.786s | 2.196s | | html-entities | 2.3.2 | 2.530s | 6.829s | 2.415s | | he | 1.2.0 | 5.800s | 24.237s | 3.624s | | parse-entities | 3.0.0 | 9.660s | N/A | N/A |

FAQ

What methods should I actually use to encode my documents?

If your target supports UTF-8, the escapeUTF8 method is going to be your best choice. Otherwise, use either encodeHTML or encodeXML based on whether you're dealing with an HTML or an XML document.

You can have a look at the options for the encode and decode methods to see everything you can configure.

When should I use strict decoding?

When strict decoding, entities not terminated with a semicolon will be ignored. This is helpful for decoding entities in legacy environments.

Why should I use entities instead of alternative modules?

As of April 2022, entities is a bit faster than other modules. Still, this is not a very differentiated space and other modules can catch up.

More importantly, you might already have entities in your dependency graph (as a dependency of eg. cheerio, or htmlparser2), and including it directly might not even increase your bundle size. The same is true for other entity libraries, so have a look through your node_modules directory!

Does entities support tree shaking?

Yes! entities ships as both a CommonJS and a ES module. Note that for best results, you should not use the encode and decode functions, as they wrap around a number of other functions, all of which will remain in the bundle. Instead, use the functions that you need directly.

Acknowledgements

This library wouldn't be possible without the work of these individuals. Thanks to

  • @mathiasbynens for his explanations about character encodings, and his library he, which was one of the inspirations for entities
  • @inikulin for his work on optimized tries for decoding HTML entities for the parse5 project
  • @mdevils for taking on the challenge of producing a quick entity library with his html-entities library. entities would be quite a bit slower if there wasn't any competition. Right now entities is on top, but we'll see how long that lasts!

License: BSD-2-Clause

Security contact information

To report a security vulnerability, please use the Tidelift security contact. Tidelift will coordinate the fix and disclosure.

entities for enterprise

Available as part of the Tidelift Subscription

The maintainers of entities and thousands of other packages are working with Tidelift to deliver commercial support and maintenance for the open source dependencies you use to build your applications. Save time, reduce risk, and improve code health, while paying the maintainers of the exact dependencies you use. Learn more.

npm-compare.com is an independent website designed to help developers choose the most suitable npm packages. We are not affiliated with npm, Inc or npmjs.com, the official website for the npm registry. Please note that npm is a registered trademark of npm, Inc. For more details, please refer to our Terms & Privacy.