arrays .net performance .net-core coding-efficiency

What is the most efficient way to remove tracking, marketing, etc query parameters from a URL in .NET?

So, I have an issue. I need to try and get as "clean" or a URL as possible; meaning removing unnecessary query parameters from an URL. I realize that this would be close to impossible to do, but I want to try and do my best.

So, we have this method that removes a particular query string parameter from a URL.

var queryString = "hello=hi&xpid=4578";
var qs = System.Web.HttpUtility.ParseQueryString(queryString);
qs.Remove("xpid");
var newQuerystring = qs.ToString();

Now, the above method is fine for one or two query parameters, but what if I have a collection of 800+ possible query parameters, such as:

public static readonly string[] ThirdPartyQueryParameters = {"_ga", "_ga-ft", "_gl", "_hsmi", "_ke", "_kx", "_paged", "_sm_byp", "_sp", "_szp", "3x", "a", "a_k", "ac", "acpage", "action-box", "action_object_map", "action_ref_map", "action_type_map", "activecampaign_id", "ad", "ad_frame_full", "ad_frame_root", "ad_name", "adclida", "adid", "adlt", "adsafe_ip", "adset_name", "advid", "aff_sub2", "afftrack", "afterload", "ak_action", "alt_id", "am", "amazingmurphybeds", "amp;", "amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp;amp", "amp;utm_campaign", "amp;utm_medium", "amp;utm_source", "ampStoryAutoAnalyticsLinker", "ampstoryautoanalyticslinke", "an", "ap", "ap_id", "apif", "apipage", "as_occt", "as_q", "as_qdr", "askid", "atFileReset", "atfilereset", "aucid", "auct", "audience", "author", "awt_a", "awt_l", "awt_m", "b2w", "back", "bannerID", "blackhole", "blockedAdTracking", "blog-reader-used", "blogger", "br", "bsft_aaid", "bsft_clkid", "bsft_eid", "bsft_ek", "bsft_lx", "bsft_mid", "bsft_mime_type", "bsft_tv", "bsft_uid", "bvMethod", "bvTime", "bvVersion", "bvb64", "bvb64resp", "bvplugname", "bvprms", "bvprmsmac", "bvreqmerge", "cacheburst", "campaign", "campaign_id", "campaign_name", "campid", "catablog-gallery", "channel", "checksum", "ck_subscriber_id", "cmplz_region_redirect", "cmpnid", "cn-reloaded", "code", "comment", "content_ad_widget", "cost", "cr", "crl8_id", "crlt.pid", "crlt_pid", "crrelr", "crtvid", "ct", "cuid", "daksldlkdsadas", "dcc", "dfp", "dm_i", "domain", "dosubmit", "dsp_caid", "dsp_crid", "dsp_insertion_order_id", "dsp_pub_id", "dsp_tracker_token", "dt", "dur", "durs", "e", "ee", "ef_id", "el", "env", "erprint", "et_blog", "exch", "externalid", "fb_action_ids", "fb_action_types", "fb_ad", "fb_source", "fbclid", "fbzunique", "fg-aqp", "fireglass_rsn", "fo", "fp_sid", "fpa", "fref", "fs", "furl", "fwp_lunch_restrictions", "ga_action", "gclid", "gclsrc", "gdffi", "gdfms", "gdftrk", "gf_page", "gidzl", "goal", "gooal", "gpu", "gtVersion", "haibwc", "hash", "hc_location", "hemail", "hid", "highlight", "hl", "home", "hsa_acc", "hsa_ad", "hsa_cam", "hsa_grp", "hsa_kw", "hsa_mt", "hsa_net", "hsa_src", "hsa_tgt", "hsa_ver", "ias_campId", "ias_chanId", "ias_dealId", "ias_dspId", "ias_impId", "ias_placementId", "ias_pubId", "ical", "ict", "ie", "igshid", "im", "ipl", "jw_start", "jwsource", "k", "key1", "key2", "klaviyo", "ksconf", "ksref", "l", "label", "lang", "ldtag_cl", "level1", "level2", "level3", "level4", "li_fat_id", "limit", "lng", "load_all_comments", "lt", "ltclid", "ltd", "lucky", "m", "m?sales_kw", "matomo_campaign", "matomo_cid", "matomo_content", "matomo_group", "matomo_keyword", "matomo_medium", "matomo_placement", "matomo_source", "max-results", "mc_cid", "mc_eid", "mdrv", "mediaserver", "memset", "mibextid", "mkcid", "mkevt", "mkrid", "mkwid", "ml_subscriber", "ml_subscriber_hash", "mobileOn", "mode", "month", "msID", "msclkid", "msg", "mtm_campaign", "mtm_cid", "mtm_content", "mtm_group", "mtm_keyword", "mtm_medium", "mtm_placement", "mtm_source", "murphybedstoday", "mwprid", "n", "native_client", "navua", "nb", "nb_klid", "o", "okijoouuqnqq", "org", "pa_service_worker", "partnumber", "pcmtid", "pcode", "pcrid", "pfstyle", "phrase", "pid", "piwik_campaign", "piwik_keyword", "piwik_kwd", "pk_campaign", "pk_keyword", "pk_kwd", "placement", "plat", "platform", "playsinline", "pp", "pr", "prid", "print", "q", "q1", "qsrc", "r", "rd", "rdt_cid", "redig", "redir", "ref", "reftok", "relatedposts_hit", "relatedposts_origin", "relatedposts_position", "remodel", "replytocom", "reverse-paginate", "rid", "rnd", "rndnum", "robots_txt", "rq", "rsd", "s_kwcid", "sa", "safe", "said", "sales_cat", "sales_kw", "sb_referer_host", "scrape", "script", "scrlybrkr", "search", "sellid", "sersafe", "sfn_data", "sfn_trk", "sfns", "sfw", "sha1", "share", "shared", "showcomment", "si", "sid", "sid1", "sid2", "sidewalkShow", "sig", "site", "site_id", "siteid", "slicer1", "slicer2", "source", "spref", "spvb", "sra", "src", "srk", "srp", "ssp_iabi", "ssts", "stylishmurphybeds", "subId1", "subId2", "subId3", "subid", "swcfpc", "tail", "teaser", "test", "timezone", "toWww", "triplesource", "trk_contact", "trk_module", "trk_msg", "trk_sid", "tsig", "turl", "u", "up_auto_log", "upage", "updated-max", "uptime", "us_privacy", "usegapi", "usqp", "utm", "utm_campa", "utm_campaign", "utm_content", "utm_expid", "utm_id", "utm_medium", "utm_reader", "utm_referrer", "utm_source", "utm_sq", "utm_ter", "utm_term"};

I know that an obvious answer would be to loop through ThirdPartyQueryParameters and check and remove it if necessary.

One solution I thought of is below, but I was curious if anyone could think of something that may be a little cleaner or more performant? You can also view/test it at https://dotnetfiddle.net/jw8bs5.

    public static readonly string[] ThirdPartyQueryParameters = {"_ga", "_ga-ft", "_gl", "_hsmi", "_ke", "_kx", "_paged", "_sm_byp", "_sp", "_szp", "3x", "a", "a_k", "ac", "acpage", "action-box", "action_object_map", "action_ref_map", "action_type_map", "activecampaign_id", "ad", "ad_frame_full", "ad_frame_root", "ad_name", "adclida", "adid", "adlt", "adsafe_ip", "adset_name", "advid", "aff_sub2", "afftrack", "afterload", "ak_action", "alt_id", "am", "amazingmurphybeds", "amp;", "amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp;amp", "amp;utm_campaign", "amp;utm_medium", "amp;utm_source", "ampStoryAutoAnalyticsLinker", "ampstoryautoanalyticslinke", "an", "ap", "ap_id", "apif", "apipage", "as_occt", "as_q", "as_qdr", "askid", "atFileReset", "atfilereset", "aucid", "auct", "audience", "author", "awt_a", "awt_l", "awt_m", "b2w", "back", "bannerID", "blackhole", "blockedAdTracking", "blog-reader-used", "blogger", "br", "bsft_aaid", "bsft_clkid", "bsft_eid", "bsft_ek", "bsft_lx", "bsft_mid", "bsft_mime_type", "bsft_tv", "bsft_uid", "bvMethod", "bvTime", "bvVersion", "bvb64", "bvb64resp", "bvplugname", "bvprms", "bvprmsmac", "bvreqmerge", "cacheburst", "campaign", "campaign_id", "campaign_name", "campid", "catablog-gallery", "channel", "checksum", "ck_subscriber_id", "cmplz_region_redirect", "cmpnid", "cn-reloaded", "code", "comment", "content_ad_widget", "cost", "cr", "crl8_id", "crlt.pid", "crlt_pid", "crrelr", "crtvid", "ct", "cuid", "daksldlkdsadas", "dcc", "dfp", "dm_i", "domain", "dosubmit", "dsp_caid", "dsp_crid", "dsp_insertion_order_id", "dsp_pub_id", "dsp_tracker_token", "dt", "dur", "durs", "e", "ee", "ef_id", "el", "env", "erprint", "et_blog", "exch", "externalid", "fb_action_ids", "fb_action_types", "fb_ad", "fb_source", "fbclid", "fbzunique", "fg-aqp", "fireglass_rsn", "fo", "fp_sid", "fpa", "fref", "fs", "furl", "fwp_lunch_restrictions", "ga_action", "gclid", "gclsrc", "gdffi", "gdfms", "gdftrk", "gf_page", "gidzl", "goal", "gooal", "gpu", "gtVersion", "haibwc", "hash", "hc_location", "hemail", "hid", "highlight", "hl", "home", "hsa_acc", "hsa_ad", "hsa_cam", "hsa_grp", "hsa_kw", "hsa_mt", "hsa_net", "hsa_src", "hsa_tgt", "hsa_ver", "ias_campId", "ias_chanId", "ias_dealId", "ias_dspId", "ias_impId", "ias_placementId", "ias_pubId", "ical", "ict", "ie", "igshid", "im", "ipl", "jw_start", "jwsource", "k", "key1", "key2", "klaviyo", "ksconf", "ksref", "l", "label", "lang", "ldtag_cl", "level1", "level2", "level3", "level4", "li_fat_id", "limit", "lng", "load_all_comments", "lt", "ltclid", "ltd", "lucky", "m", "m?sales_kw", "matomo_campaign", "matomo_cid", "matomo_content", "matomo_group", "matomo_keyword", "matomo_medium", "matomo_placement", "matomo_source", "max-results", "mc_cid", "mc_eid", "mdrv", "mediaserver", "memset", "mibextid", "mkcid", "mkevt", "mkrid", "mkwid", "ml_subscriber", "ml_subscriber_hash", "mobileOn", "mode", "month", "msID", "msclkid", "msg", "mtm_campaign", "mtm_cid", "mtm_content", "mtm_group", "mtm_keyword", "mtm_medium", "mtm_placement", "mtm_source", "murphybedstoday", "mwprid", "n", "native_client", "navua", "nb", "nb_klid", "o", "okijoouuqnqq", "org", "pa_service_worker", "partnumber", "pcmtid", "pcode", "pcrid", "pfstyle", "phrase", "pid", "piwik_campaign", "piwik_keyword", "piwik_kwd", "pk_campaign", "pk_keyword", "pk_kwd", "placement", "plat", "platform", "playsinline", "pp", "pr", "prid", "print", "q", "q1", "qsrc", "r", "rd", "rdt_cid", "redig", "redir", "ref", "reftok", "relatedposts_hit", "relatedposts_origin", "relatedposts_position", "remodel", "replytocom", "reverse-paginate", "rid", "rnd", "rndnum", "robots_txt", "rq", "rsd", "s_kwcid", "sa", "safe", "said", "sales_cat", "sales_kw", "sb_referer_host", "scrape", "script", "scrlybrkr", "search", "sellid", "sersafe", "sfn_data", "sfn_trk", "sfns", "sfw", "sha1", "share", "shared", "showcomment", "si", "sid", "sid1", "sid2", "sidewalkShow", "sig", "site", "site_id", "siteid", "slicer1", "slicer2", "source", "spref", "spvb", "sra", "src", "srk", "srp", "ssp_iabi", "ssts", "stylishmurphybeds", "subId1", "subId2", "subId3", "subid", "swcfpc", "tail", "teaser", "test", "timezone", "toWww", "triplesource", "trk_contact", "trk_module", "trk_msg", "trk_sid", "tsig", "turl", "u", "up_auto_log", "upage", "updated-max", "uptime", "us_privacy", "usegapi", "usqp", "utm", "utm_campa", "utm_campaign", "utm_content", "utm_expid", "utm_id", "utm_medium", "utm_reader", "utm_referrer", "utm_source", "utm_sq", "utm_ter", "utm_term"};
    
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string url = "https://example.com/?id=3423&utm_campaign=ewrw&utm_medium=ewrewr&_ga=33223423";
        var cleanQueryStringTogether = string.Empty;
        if (url.IndexOf("?") is { } queryIndex && queryIndex != -1)
        {
            Uri uri = new Uri(url);
            var queryString = uri.Query;
            var qs = System.Web.HttpUtility.ParseQueryString(queryString);
            var cleanQueryString = new List<string>();
            if(qs != null && qs.HasKeys())
            {
                foreach(string key in qs.Keys)
                {
                    if (!ThirdPartyQueryParameters.Contains(key))
                    {
                        cleanQueryString.Add($"{key}={qs[key]}");
                    }
                }
            }
            cleanQueryStringTogether = cleanQueryString.Join("&");
            url = $"{url[..queryIndex]}?";
        }
        
        Console.WriteLine($"{url}{cleanQueryStringTogether}");
    }

The above returns the expected output https://example.com/?id=3423

Any advice as to how this function may be improved would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Solution

There are a few improvements to be made.

You can use a HashSet for the set of exclusions.
You can directly modify the qs collection, and then reserialize it using ToString.
You can use a UriBuilder to concat everything.
This also sorts out escaping the values correctly.

public static readonly HashSet<string> ThirdPartyQueryParameters = new HashSet<string>(new[] {"_ga", "_ga-ft", "_gl", "_hsmi", "_ke", "_kx", "_paged", "_sm_byp", "_sp", "_szp", "3x", "a", "a_k", "ac", "acpage", "action-box", "action_object_map", "action_ref_map", "action_type_map", "activecampaign_id", "ad", "ad_frame_full", "ad_frame_root", "ad_name", "adclida", "adid", "adlt", "adsafe_ip", "adset_name", "advid", "aff_sub2", "afftrack", "afterload", "ak_action", "alt_id", "am", "amazingmurphybeds", "amp;", "amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp", "amp;amp;amp;amp", "amp;utm_campaign", "amp;utm_medium", "amp;utm_source", "ampStoryAutoAnalyticsLinker", "ampstoryautoanalyticslinke", "an", "ap", "ap_id", "apif", "apipage", "as_occt", "as_q", "as_qdr", "askid", "atFileReset", "atfilereset", "aucid", "auct", "audience", "author", "awt_a", "awt_l", "awt_m", "b2w", "back", "bannerID", "blackhole", "blockedAdTracking", "blog-reader-used", "blogger", "br", "bsft_aaid", "bsft_clkid", "bsft_eid", "bsft_ek", "bsft_lx", "bsft_mid", "bsft_mime_type", "bsft_tv", "bsft_uid", "bvMethod", "bvTime", "bvVersion", "bvb64", "bvb64resp", "bvplugname", "bvprms", "bvprmsmac", "bvreqmerge", "cacheburst", "campaign", "campaign_id", "campaign_name", "campid", "catablog-gallery", "channel", "checksum", "ck_subscriber_id", "cmplz_region_redirect", "cmpnid", "cn-reloaded", "code", "comment", "content_ad_widget", "cost", "cr", "crl8_id", "crlt.pid", "crlt_pid", "crrelr", "crtvid", "ct", "cuid", "daksldlkdsadas", "dcc", "dfp", "dm_i", "domain", "dosubmit", "dsp_caid", "dsp_crid", "dsp_insertion_order_id", "dsp_pub_id", "dsp_tracker_token", "dt", "dur", "durs", "e", "ee", "ef_id", "el", "env", "erprint", "et_blog", "exch", "externalid", "fb_action_ids", "fb_action_types", "fb_ad", "fb_source", "fbclid", "fbzunique", "fg-aqp", "fireglass_rsn", "fo", "fp_sid", "fpa", "fref", "fs", "furl", "fwp_lunch_restrictions", "ga_action", "gclid", "gclsrc", "gdffi", "gdfms", "gdftrk", "gf_page", "gidzl", "goal", "gooal", "gpu", "gtVersion", "haibwc", "hash", "hc_location", "hemail", "hid", "highlight", "hl", "home", "hsa_acc", "hsa_ad", "hsa_cam", "hsa_grp", "hsa_kw", "hsa_mt", "hsa_net", "hsa_src", "hsa_tgt", "hsa_ver", "ias_campId", "ias_chanId", "ias_dealId", "ias_dspId", "ias_impId", "ias_placementId", "ias_pubId", "ical", "ict", "ie", "igshid", "im", "ipl", "jw_start", "jwsource", "k", "key1", "key2", "klaviyo", "ksconf", "ksref", "l", "label", "lang", "ldtag_cl", "level1", "level2", "level3", "level4", "li_fat_id", "limit", "lng", "load_all_comments", "lt", "ltclid", "ltd", "lucky", "m", "m?sales_kw", "matomo_campaign", "matomo_cid", "matomo_content", "matomo_group", "matomo_keyword", "matomo_medium", "matomo_placement", "matomo_source", "max-results", "mc_cid", "mc_eid", "mdrv", "mediaserver", "memset", "mibextid", "mkcid", "mkevt", "mkrid", "mkwid", "ml_subscriber", "ml_subscriber_hash", "mobileOn", "mode", "month", "msID", "msclkid", "msg", "mtm_campaign", "mtm_cid", "mtm_content", "mtm_group", "mtm_keyword", "mtm_medium", "mtm_placement", "mtm_source", "murphybedstoday", "mwprid", "n", "native_client", "navua", "nb", "nb_klid", "o", "okijoouuqnqq", "org", "pa_service_worker", "partnumber", "pcmtid", "pcode", "pcrid", "pfstyle", "phrase", "pid", "piwik_campaign", "piwik_keyword", "piwik_kwd", "pk_campaign", "pk_keyword", "pk_kwd", "placement", "plat", "platform", "playsinline", "pp", "pr", "prid", "print", "q", "q1", "qsrc", "r", "rd", "rdt_cid", "redig", "redir", "ref", "reftok", "relatedposts_hit", "relatedposts_origin", "relatedposts_position", "remodel", "replytocom", "reverse-paginate", "rid", "rnd", "rndnum", "robots_txt", "rq", "rsd", "s_kwcid", "sa", "safe", "said", "sales_cat", "sales_kw", "sb_referer_host", "scrape", "script", "scrlybrkr", "search", "sellid", "sersafe", "sfn_data", "sfn_trk", "sfns", "sfw", "sha1", "share", "shared", "showcomment", "si", "sid", "sid1", "sid2", "sidewalkShow", "sig", "site", "site_id", "siteid", "slicer1", "slicer2", "source", "spref", "spvb", "sra", "src", "srk", "srp", "ssp_iabi", "ssts", "stylishmurphybeds", "subId1", "subId2", "subId3", "subid", "swcfpc", "tail", "teaser", "test", "timezone", "toWww", "triplesource", "trk_contact", "trk_module", "trk_msg", "trk_sid", "tsig", "turl", "u", "up_auto_log", "upage", "updated-max", "uptime", "us_privacy", "usegapi", "usqp", "utm", "utm_campa", "utm_campaign", "utm_content", "utm_expid", "utm_id", "utm_medium", "utm_reader", "utm_referrer", "utm_source", "utm_sq", "utm_ter", "utm_term"});

public static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string url = "https://example.com/?id=3423&utm_campaign=ewrw&utm_medium=ewrewr&_ga=33223423";
    if (url.IndexOf("?") is { } queryIndex && queryIndex != -1)
    {
        var uri = new UriBuilder(url);
        var queryString = uri.Query;
        var qs = System.Web.HttpUtility.ParseQueryString(queryString);
        if(qs != null && qs.HasKeys())
        {
            foreach(string key in qs.Keys.Cast<string>().ToArray())
            {
                if (ThirdPartyQueryParameters.Contains(key))
                {
                    qs.Remove(key);
                }
            }
            uri.Query = qs.ToString();
            url = uri.ToString();
        }
    }
    
    Console.WriteLine(url);
}

dotnetfiddle