# Escaping HTML Attributes
Escaping data in **HTML Attribute** contexts is most often done incorrectly, if
not overlooked completely by developers. Regular [HTML
escaping](escaping-html.md) can be used for escaping HTML attributes *only* if
the attribute value can be **guaranteed as being properly quoted**! To avoid
confusion, we recommend always using the HTML Attribute escaper method when
dealing with HTTP attributes specifically.
To escape data for an HTML Attribute, use `Zend\Escaper\Escaper`'s
`escapeHtmlAttr()` method. Internally it will convert the data to UTF-8, check
for its validity, and use an extended set of characters to escape that are not
covered by `htmlspecialchars()` to cover the cases where an attribute might be
unquoted or quoted illegally.
## Examples of Bad HTML Attribute Escaping
An example of incorrect HTML attribute escaping:
```php
Single Quoted Attribute
?>
What framework are you using?
```
In the above example, the default `ENT_COMPAT` flag is being used, which does
not escape single quotes, thus resulting in an alert box popping up when the
`onmouseover` event happens on the `span` element.
Another example of incorrect HTML attribute escaping can happen when unquoted
attributes are used (which is, by the way, perfectly valid HTML5):
```php
Quoteless Attribute
?>
>
What framework are you using?
```
The above example shows how it is easy to break out from unquoted attributes in
HTML5.
## Example of Good HTML Attribute Escaping
Both of the previous examples can be avoided by simply using the
`escapeHtmlAttr()` method:
```php
escapeHtmlAttr($input);
?>
Quoteless Attribute
?>
>
What framework are you using?
```
In the above example, the malicious input from the attacker becomes completely
harmless as we used proper HTML attribute escaping!