How do I encode a file in UTF-8 using Python?

How do I encode a file in UTF-8 using Python?

You can use the built-in open() function with the encoding='utf-8' parameter. For example:

with open('file.txt', 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
    f.write('Hello, World!')

What if I want to read a UTF-8 encoded file?

You can read a UTF-8 encoded file similarly by specifying the encoding when opening it:

with open('file.txt', 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
    content = f.read()

Are there any common errors I should be aware of?

Yes, a common error is UnicodeDecodeError, which occurs if the file is not actually UTF-8 encoded. Always ensure the file's encoding matches.

Can I convert a file from another encoding to UTF-8?

Yes, you can read the file with its original encoding and then write it out in UTF-8. For example:

with open('file_original.txt', 'r', encoding='latin-1') as f:
    content = f.read()

with open('file_utf8.txt', 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
    f.write(content)