---
id: "punycode"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "Punycode"
language: "en"
category: "DNS and technical foundations"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/punycode/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/punycode/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/punycode/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/punycode/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/punycode/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/punycode/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/punycode/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/punycode/"
---

# Punycode

A method that turns domain names written in non-Latin scripts or with accents into plain ASCII letters, digits and hyphens that the DNS can handle. The result starts with xn--. Browsers usually convert it back so users see the original script.

## related terms

- [IDN](https://tldlog.com/glossary/idn/)
- [IDN TLD](https://tldlog.com/glossary/idn-tld/)
- [homograph attack](https://tldlog.com/glossary/homograph-attack/)
- [ASCII](https://tldlog.com/glossary/ascii/)