getUrl

GetUrl is a common method name used across programming languages and libraries. It generally returns the URL associated with an object, such as a resource, endpoint, or web page. In practice it is usually a getter, or a small utility that computes or retrieves a URL from the object's state.

In API clients and web frameworks, getUrl may return the canonical address used to access a resource. In URL utilities, a function or method named getUrl often builds an absolute URL from a base and a path, optionally applying query parameters, encoding, and normalization to produce a valid URL string or URL object.

Return types vary by language; some implementations return a string, others return a URL or URI object. Implementations typically perform validation, handle nulls gracefully, and may throw an error for malformed inputs. Some frameworks distinguish getUrl from getAbsoluteUrl, depending on whether the value is relative or absolute.

Design considerations include encoding, handling of relative versus absolute paths, and security concerns such as avoiding leakage of sensitive data in query strings. Consistency in naming and behavior across a codebase helps reduce confusion when tools or templates rely on URL retrieval.

See also: getAbsoluteUrl, URL builder, URI.