How to convert URL parameters to a JavaScript object? [duplicate]

Question

I have a string like this:

abc=foo&def=%5Basf%5D&xyz=5 

How can I convert it into a JavaScript object like this?

{   abc: 'foo',   def: '[asf]',   xyz: 5 } 

Answer 1

In the year 2021... Please consider this obsolete.

Edit

This edit improves and explains the answer based on the comments.

var search = location.search.substring(1); JSON.parse('{"' + decodeURI(search).replace(/"/g, '\\"').replace(/&/g, '","').replace(/=/g,'":"') + '"}') 

Example

Parse abc=foo&def=%5Basf%5D&xyz=5 in five steps:

• decodeURI: abc=foo&def=[asf]&xyz=5
• Escape quotes: same, as there are no quotes
• Replace &: abc=foo","def=[asf]","xyz=5
• Replace =: abc":"foo","def":"[asf]","xyz":"5
• Suround with curlies and quotes: {"abc":"foo","def":"[asf]","xyz":"5"}

which is legal JSON.

An improved solution allows for more characters in the search string. It uses a reviver function for URI decoding:

var search = location.search.substring(1); JSON.parse('{"' + search.replace(/&/g, '","').replace(/=/g,'":"') + '"}', function(key, value) { return key===""?value:decodeURIComponent(value) }) 

Example

search = "abc=foo&def=%5Basf%5D&xyz=5&foo=b%3Dar"; 

gives

Object {abc: "foo", def: "[asf]", xyz: "5", foo: "b=ar"} 

Original answer

A one-liner:

JSON.parse('{"' + decodeURI("abc=foo&def=%5Basf%5D&xyz=5".replace(/&/g, "\",\"").replace(/=/g,"\":\"")) + '"}')