URL

The URL interface is used to parse, construct, normalize, and encode URLs. It works by providing properties which allow you to easily read and modify the components of a URL. You normally create a new URL object by specifying the URL as a string when calling its constructor, or by providing a relative URL and a base URL. You can then easily read the parsed components of the URL or make changes to the URL.

If a browser doesn't yet support the URL() constructor, you can access a URL object using the Window interface's Window.URL property. Be sure to check to see if any of your target browsers require this to be prefixed.

Note: This feature is available in Web Workers.

Constructor

new URL()
Creates and returns a URL object referencing the URL specified using an absolute URL string, or a relative URL string and a base URL string.

Properties

hash
A USVString containing a '#' followed by the fragment identifier of the URL.
host
A USVString containing the domain (that is the hostname) followed by (if a port was specified) a ':' and the port of the URL.
hostname
A USVString containing the domain of the URL.
href
A stringifier that returns a USVString containing the whole URL.
origin Read only
Returns a USVString containing the origin of the URL, that is its scheme, its domain and its port.
password
A USVString containing the password specified before the domain name.
pathname
A USVString containing an initial '/' followed by the path of the URL.
port
A USVString containing the port number of the URL.
protocol
A USVString containing the protocol scheme of the URL, including the final ':'.
search
A USVString indicating the URL's parameter string; if any parameters are provided, this string includes all of them, beginning with the leading ? character.
searchParams Read only
A URLSearchParams object which can be used to access the individual query parameters found in search.
username
A USVString containing the username specified before the domain name.

Methods

toString()
Returns a USVString containing the whole URL. It is a synonym for URL.href, though it can't be used to modify the value.
toJSON()
Returns a USVString containing the whole URL. It returns the same string as the href property.

Static methods

createObjectURL()
Returns a DOMString containing a unique blob URL, that is a URL with blob: as its scheme, followed by an opaque string uniquely identifying the object in the browser.
revokeObjectURL()
Revokes an object URL previously created using URL.createObjectURL().

Usage notes

The constructor takes a url parameter, and an optional base parameter to use as a base if the url parameter is a relative URL:

const url = new URL('../cats', 'http://www.example.com/dogs');
console.log(url.hostname); // "www.example.com"
console.log(url.pathname); // "/cats"

URL properties can be set to construct the URL:

url.hash = 'tabby';
console.log(url.href); // "http://www.example.com/cats#tabby"

URLs are encoded according to the rules found in RFC 3986. For instance:

url.pathname = 'démonstration.html';
console.log(url.href); // "http://www.example.com/d%C3%A9monstration.html"

The URLSearchParams interface can be used to build and manipulate the URL query string.

To get the search params from the current window's URL, you can do this:

// https://some.site/?id=123
const parsedUrl = new URL(window.location.href);
console.log(parsedUrl.searchParams.get("id")); // "123"

The toString() method of URL just returns the value of the href property, so the constructor can be used to normalize and encode a URL directly.

const response = await fetch(new URL('http://www.example.com/démonstration.html'));

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
File API
The definition of 'URL' in that specification.
Working Draft Added the static methods URL.createObjectURL() and URL.revokeObjectURL().
URL
The definition of 'API' in that specification.
Living Standard Initial definition (implements URLUtils).

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
URLChrome Full support 32
Full support 32
Full support 19
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes Before version 57, Firefox had a bug whereby single quotes contained in URLs are escaped when accessed via URL APIs (see bug 1386683).
Notes To use it from chrome code, JSM and Bootstrap scope, you have to import it with Cu.importGlobalProperties(['URL']);.
IE Full support 10Opera Full support 19
Full support 19
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari Full support 7
Full support 7
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
WebView Android Full support 4.4
Full support 4.4
Full support 4
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Chrome Android Full support 32
Full support 32
Full support 25
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Firefox Android Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes Before version 57, Firefox had a bug whereby single quotes contained in URLs are escaped when accessed via URL APIs (see bug 1386683).
Notes To use it from chrome code, JSM and Bootstrap scope, you have to import it with Cu.importGlobalProperties(['URL']);.
Opera Android Full support 19
Full support 19
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Safari iOS Full support 7
Full support 7
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
Samsung Internet Android Full support 2.0
Full support 2.0
Full support 1.5
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: webkit
URL() constructorChrome Full support 19Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 26IE No support NoOpera Full support 15Safari Full support 6WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 25Firefox Android Full support 26Opera Android Full support 14Safari iOS Full support 6Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
createObjectURL
Experimental
Chrome Full support 19Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes createObjectURL() is no longer available within the context of a ServiceWorker.
IE Full support 10
Notes
Full support 10
Notes
Notes If the underlying object does not have a content type set, using this URL as the src of an img tag fails intermittently with error DOM7009.
Opera Full support 15Safari Full support 6WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support 25Firefox Android Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes createObjectURL() is no longer available within the context of a ServiceWorker.
Opera Android Full support 14Safari iOS Full support 6Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
hashChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
hostChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
hostnameChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
hrefChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
originChrome Full support 32Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 26
Full support 26
No support 26 — 49
Notes
Notes Results for URL using the blob scheme incorrectly returned null.
IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 32Firefox Android Full support 26
Full support 26
No support 26 — 49
Notes
Notes Results for URL using the blob scheme incorrectly returned null.
Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support 6.0
passwordChrome Full support 32Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 26IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 32Firefox Android Full support 26Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support 6.0
pathnameChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 53
Full support 53
No support 22 — 53
Notes
Notes pathname and search returned the wrong values so that for a URL of http://z.com/x?a=true&b=false, pathname would return "/x?a=true&b=false" and search would return "", rather than "/x" and "?a=true&b=false" respectively.
IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 53
Full support 53
No support 22 — 53
Notes
Notes pathname and search returned the wrong values so that for a URL of http://z.com/x?a=true&b=false, pathname would return "/x?a=true&b=false" and search would return "", rather than "/x" and "?a=true&b=false" respectively.
Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
portChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
protocolChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
revokeObjectURL
Experimental
Chrome Full support 19Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes revokeObjectURL() is no longer available within the context of a ServiceWorker.
IE Full support 10Opera Full support 15Safari Full support 6WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 25Firefox Android Full support 19
Notes
Full support 19
Notes
Notes revokeObjectURL() is no longer available within the context of a ServiceWorker.
Opera Android Full support 14Safari iOS Full support 6Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
searchChrome Full support YesEdge Full support 13Firefox Full support 53
Full support 53
No support 22 — 53
Notes
Notes pathname and search returned the wrong values so that for a URL of http://z.com/x?a=true&b=false, pathname would return "/x?a=true&b=false" and search would return "", rather than "/x" and "?a=true&b=false" respectively.
IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 53
Full support 53
No support 22 — 53
Notes
Notes pathname and search returned the wrong values so that for a URL of http://z.com/x?a=true&b=false, pathname would return "/x?a=true&b=false" and search would return "", rather than "/x" and "?a=true&b=false" respectively.
Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
searchParamsChrome Full support 51Edge Full support 17Firefox Full support 29IE No support NoOpera Full support 38Safari Full support 10WebView Android Full support 51Chrome Android Full support 51Firefox Android Full support 29Opera Android Full support 41Safari iOS Full support 10Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0
toJSONChrome Full support 71Edge Full support 17Firefox Full support 54IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support 71Chrome Android Full support 71Firefox Android Full support 54Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0
toStringChrome Full support 19Edge Full support 17Firefox Full support 54IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 25Firefox Android Full support 54Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support 6.0
usernameChrome Full support 32Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 26IE No support NoOpera Full support YesSafari Full support 10WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 32Firefox Android Full support 26Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support 6.0

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.

See also