Python string encode() usage and example

Python string methods

The string encode() method encodes the string using the specified encoding. If no encoding is specified, UTF-8.

from Python 3starting fromStringstored in Unicode format, that isStringEach character is represented by a code point. Therefore, each string is just a sequence of Unicode code points.

To effectively store these strings, convert the code point sequence to a byte set. This process is calledEncoding.

There are various different encodings, which handle strings differently. Popular encodings areutf-8,asciietc.

Using the encode() method of the string, you can convert an unencoded string to any encoding supported by Python. By default, Python usesutf-8Encoding.

The syntax of the encode() method is:

string.encode(encoding='UTF-8',errors='strict')

String encode() parameter

By default, the encode() method does not require any parameters.

It returns the UTF string-8Encoding version. If an error occurs, it will raise a UnicodeDecodeError exception.

But it needs two parameters:

• encoding -The encoding type must be encoded as a string

• errors-Response when encoding fails. There are six types of error responses

• strict-Default response, which will raise a UnicodeDecodeError exception when it fails

• ignore-Ignore unencodable unicode from the result

• replace-Replace unencodable Unicode with question mark?

• xmlcharrefreplace-Insert XML character references instead of unencodable unicode

• Backslash replacement-Insert \ uNNNN space sequence instead of unencodable unicode

• namereplace-Insert \ N {...} escape sequence instead of unencodable unicode

Example1: Encoding is the default Utf-8Encoding

# Unicode string
string = 'pythön!'
# Output string
print('String:', string)
# Default encoding is utf-8
string_utf = string.encode()
# Output result
print('Encoding version is:', string_utf)

When running the program, the output is:

String: pythön!
Encoding version is: b'pyth\xc3\xb6n!"

Example2Use incorrect encoding parameters

# Unicode string
string = 'pythön!'
# Output string
print('String:', string)
# ignore error
print('Encoded version (ignore):', string.encode("ascii", "ignore"))
# Replace error
print('Encoded version (replace):', string.encode("ascii", "replace"))

When running the program, the output is:

String: pythön!
Encoded version (ignore) : b'pythn!'
Encoded version (replace) : b'pyth?n!'

Note:Try different encoding and error parameters.

Python string methods