toString and encoding

Learn Buffer.toString and encoding.

toString and encoding

To turn a buffer into a string you use toString(). The default encoding is utf8, so buf.toString() gives back the text. You can also choose other encodings.

Three common encodings: utf8 (text), hex (hexadecimal) and base64. For example Buffer.from("book").toString("base64") gives Ym9vaw==. toString("hex") writes each byte as two hex digits. This lets you safely carry binary data over a text channel.

Encoding types

Each encoding has a different use case. utf8 is the standard for text data and shows special characters correctly. hex writes each byte as two characters, useful for carrying small binary data.

base64 packs binary data into ASCII text, common for email attachments and data URIs. For example Buffer.from("Node").toString("hex") gives 4e6f6465. Which encoding you choose depends on where the data goes: utf8 for text, hex for digests, base64 for transport.

Exercise Print a buffer as both text and hex

Create a buffer with Buffer.from("Node"). Print the plain text with .toString() and the hex form with .toString("hex") on separate lines using console.log.

Show example solution

const buf = Buffer.from("Node");
console.log(buf.toString());
console.log(buf.toString("hex"));

Test yourself

Which encoding gives base64 output?
```
buf.toString("base64")
```
- utf8
- hex
- ascii
- base64
Show answer

base64 — toString("base64") gives base64 output.

hex encoding

const buf = Buffer.from("Node"); console.log(buf.toString("____"));

Show answer

const buf = Buffer.from("Node"); console.log(buf.toString("hex"));

Match each encoding to its role

utf8

Standard for text
hex

Hexadecimal output
base64

ASCII compression
ascii

7-bit English

Next lesson: Buffer slice

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