Rails 3 UTF-8 query string showing up in URL?

I have a search query form on my home page (/)

<% form_tag(search_path, :method => :get) do %>
  <%= text_field_tag 'query' %>
  <%= submit_tag "Search", :name => nil%>

<% end %>

When I submit this search form, I want to end up at (/search?query=foo). However, right now I get /search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=foo. What's that utf8 parameter doing there? How can I get rid of it?

Thanks.

Solution 1:

The utf8 parameter (formerly known as snowman) is a Rails 3 workaround for an Internet Explorer bug.

The short answer is that Internet Explorer ignores POST data UTF8 encoding unless at least one UTF8 char is included in the POST data. For this reason, Rails injects an UTF8 character in the form to force IE to treat everything as UTF8 encoded.

Solution 2:

This parameter is a new feature of rails 3.

It was previously the snowman.

It helps IE to really use utf-8.

Avoid using form_tag and it works:

<form action="<%= search_path %>" method="get" >
  <%= text_field_tag 'query' %>
  <%= submit_tag "Search", :name => nil%>
</form> 

Solution 3:

form_tag in Rails 4.2 (and probably earlier) has a :enforce_utf8 option;

If set to false, a hidden input with name utf8 is not output.

Solution 4:

I think everyone did a great job explaining why it exists, but I feel like the question wasn't answered, which was:

How can I get rid of it?

So everything said is correct, you do need it present to help with "IE" but the reason why it shows up in your address bar is because you are doing a "GET" as opposed to a "POST". Make it a post and it's gone, but then you are also not following convention.

It comes down to which of these are most acceptable to you.