Technical Analysis: Why Collapsing Double Slashes in HTTP URL Paths is Not Valid Normalization
By
pabs3
Fresh out the oven, still warm. Top of the tray.
Summary
This technical article explains that collapsing double slashes (//) to single slashes in HTTP URL paths is incorrect and not a valid form of normalization. The author cites RFC 3986 to demonstrate that the URI syntax permits empty path segments, making double slashes syntactically meaningful as they represent zero-length segments between separators. The article provides a technical analysis of URI path component specifications and argues against common misconceptions about URL normalization practices.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledCollapsing // to / inside an HTTP URL path is not normalization.
The URI syntax permits empty path segments.
A double slash is therefore syntactically meaningful. It represents a zero-length segment between two separators.
RFC 3986 defines the path component and the segment grammar in a way that allows for empty segments.
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