Convert HTML to BBCode

Why Convert HTML to BBCode?

Converting HTML to BBCode is essential when you need to post web content to forums and bulletin boards while maintaining basic formatting. While HTML offers extensive formatting options with CSS styling and JavaScript interactivity, most forums use BBCode for security reasons - it prevents malicious scripts and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks while still allowing users to format their posts with bold text, links, images, and other basic formatting.

BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) was specifically designed as a safer alternative to HTML for user-generated content on forums. Unlike HTML which can execute JavaScript and potentially compromise security, BBCode uses simple square-bracket tags that are parsed by forum software into safe HTML for display. This makes BBCode the standard markup language for popular forum platforms like phpBB, vBulletin, Invision Power Board (IPB), MyBB, and Simple Machines Forum (SMF).

Our converter transforms HTML markup into BBCode format by converting common HTML tags like <strong> to [b], <em> to [i], <a> to [url], and <img> to [img]. The conversion process strips out potentially dangerous elements like JavaScript, CSS styling, and complex layouts, keeping only the basic text formatting that's supported by BBCode. This ensures your content is both safe and compatible with forum software.

BBCode is perfect for forum discussions, user signatures, and message board content because it provides just enough formatting capability without the security risks of full HTML. Most forums provide a formatting toolbar that inserts BBCode tags automatically, making it easy for users to create formatted posts without knowing the syntax. The simplicity of BBCode also makes forum posts more accessible and easier to moderate.

Key Benefits of Converting HTML to BBCode:

• Security: Eliminate XSS vulnerabilities and malicious script execution
• Forum Compatibility: Works with phpBB, vBulletin, IPB, MyBB, SMF, XenForo
• Simplicity: Easy-to-read syntax that users can understand
• Safe Formatting: Maintain text formatting without security risks
• User-Friendly: Simple tags that non-technical users can learn
• Moderation: Easier for moderators to review and edit
• Performance: Lightweight parsing compared to full HTML

Practical Examples

Example 1: Basic Text Formatting

Input HTML file (post.html):

<p>This is <strong>bold</strong> and this is <em>italic</em> text.</p>
<p>This is <u>underlined</u> and this is <s>strikethrough</s> text.</p>

Output BBCode file (post.bbcode):

This is [b]bold[/b] and this is [i]italic[/i] text.
This is [u]underlined[/u] and this is [s]strikethrough[/s] text.

Example 2: Links and Images

Input HTML file (content.html) with links:

<a href="https://example.com">Visit Example</a>
<img src="https://example.com/image.jpg" alt="Example Image">

Output BBCode file (content.bbcode) - forum-ready:

[url=https://example.com]Visit Example[/url]
[img]https://example.com/image.jpg[/img]

Example 3: Lists and Quotes

Input HTML file (forum-post.html):

<ul>
  <li>First item</li>
  <li>Second item</li>
  <li>Third item</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>This is a quote</blockquote>

Output BBCode file (forum-post.bbcode) - ready to post:

[list]
[*]First item
[*]Second item
[*]Third item
[/list]
[quote]This is a quote[/quote]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is BBCode?

A: BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used in online forums and message boards. It uses square brackets [tag] instead of angle brackets to format text, making it safer than HTML while still allowing basic formatting like bold, italic, links, and images. It was introduced in 1998 as a safer alternative to HTML for user-generated content.

Q: Why do forums use BBCode instead of HTML?

A: Forums use BBCode for security reasons. HTML allows execution of JavaScript and other potentially malicious code, which could be exploited for cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. BBCode provides a limited, safe subset of formatting options that can't execute scripts, protecting forum users from security threats while still allowing text formatting.

Q: Is BBCode standardized?

A: No, BBCode is not an official standard. Different forum software (phpBB, vBulletin, IPB, MyBB) implements BBCode slightly differently. While common tags like [b], [i], [url], and [img] are universally supported, advanced features like [color], [size], or [font] may vary between platforms. Always check your forum's specific BBCode documentation.

Q: What HTML features are lost when converting to BBCode?

A: BBCode is much simpler than HTML, so many features are lost: CSS styling, JavaScript, complex layouts (divs, tables), forms, semantic tags (article, section), custom attributes, and advanced media controls. Only basic formatting (bold, italic, underline), links, images, and simple lists are preserved. This simplification is intentional for security.

Q: Can I convert BBCode back to HTML?

A: Yes, BBCode to HTML conversion is straightforward and commonly implemented in forum software. When viewing a forum post, the software converts BBCode to HTML for browser display. However, since BBCode is simpler, you won't recover any advanced HTML features that were lost during the original conversion to BBCode.

Q: Which forums support BBCode?

A: Most popular forum platforms support BBCode, including phpBB, vBulletin, Invision Power Board (IPB), MyBB, Simple Machines Forum (SMF), XenForo, and many others. Some modern forums use Markdown instead, while others support both BBCode and Markdown, giving users a choice of markup languages.

Q: How do I use BBCode in my forum posts?

A: Simply wrap text in square bracket tags: [b]bold[/b], [i]italic[/i], [u]underline[/u]. For links: [url=http://example.com]link text[/url]. For images: [img]http://example.com/image.jpg[/img]. Most forums have a formatting toolbar above the post editor that inserts these tags automatically when you click formatting buttons.

Q: Can BBCode include custom colors and fonts?

A: Yes, most BBCode implementations support color and size tags: [color=red]red text[/color], [size=14]larger text[/size], and sometimes [font=Arial]custom font[/font]. However, these features are not universal and depend on the specific forum software being used. Some forums restrict color choices to prevent abuse or maintain readability.