URL explainer
Paste a URL; get a paragraph describing it. Recognizes common tracking parameters (utm_*, gclid, fbclid, mc_cid, _ga, ref) and explains what each one means in marketing-speak.
How to use
- Paste a URL.
- The output is a numbered list:
- The destination (host + path explained — e.g. "the
/checkoutpage on shop.example.com"). - The parameters table — each row is a key, its value, and a one-sentence English explanation if known.
- Tracking summary — counts of UTM, click ID, and analytics parameters detected, plus the platform that uses each.
- The destination (host + path explained — e.g. "the
- Copy as Markdown dumps the explanation as a markdown report you can paste into a ticket or email.
Recognised parameters
- UTM —
utm_source,utm_medium,utm_campaign,utm_term,utm_content,utm_id. - Click IDs —
gclid,gbraid,wbraid(Google),fbclid(Facebook),msclkid(Bing),twclid(X),yclid(Yandex),dclid(DoubleClick). - Analytics —
mc_cid/mc_eid(Mailchimp),_ga/_gl(GA cross-domain),_hsenc/_hsmi(HubSpot),igshid(Instagram).
FAQ
What does "purpose unknown" mean?
The parameter isn't in our known-tracking dictionary. It's either a site-specific param (filter, sort, session, language) or rare third-party tracking. The tool won't strip or rewrite it; it just lists it.
Can I teach it about custom parameters?
Future versions will support per-browser custom dictionaries (stored in LocalStorage). For now, you can fork the page source — the dictionary lives in tool.js.
How is this different from the parser?
The parser shows the structure (scheme, host, path, params). The explainer interprets the meaning — particularly of tracking params.
Does it follow redirects?
No — CORS prevents that in-browser. Use the Redirect URL decoder for known-wrapper redirector URLs (no network call needed).