Decoding Percent Encoded Octets in URLs

SAP CPI challenge – continuation of the learning

In the recently concluded CPI challenge, one part that was missed in most submissions was implementing decoding of percent-encoded octets that were submitted in the query string of the HTTP request. This was not stated as an explicit requirement in the challenge and therefore required the participants to have an implicit understanding of how HTTP URLs work. Those who knew this indeed scored higher in the challenge, gaining bonus points along the way – 2 out of 3 finalists implemented such decoding.

As a continuation of the learning spirit encouraged by the challenge, I have recorded the short video below to walk through the concept of percent-encoding, why it is important, and how we can implement the decoding.

Happy learning!