What are the best practices for data encoding?

What are the best practices for data encoding?

When encoding data, it's important to use a consistent character set, like UTF-8, and to validate input to prevent errors.

Why is UTF-8 preferred over other encodings?

UTF-8 is preferred because it supports all characters in the Unicode standard and is backward compatible with ASCII.

Can you explain how to handle special characters?

Special characters should be properly escaped or encoded to ensure they are transmitted correctly and do not cause issues.

What tools can I use to check encoding issues?

You can use tools like iconv, Notepad++, or online validators to check and convert file encodings.