Variable-length encoding
01UTF-8 encodes Unicode values with a leading byte and continuation bytes.
Related RFCs and changes
“Updates” changes part of an earlier RFC. “Obsoletes” replaces it. This list shows selected related documents.
DIAGRAM§ 3 ↗
RFC 3629 · § 3EXAMPLE
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03
Read byte roles
E2 82 AC has one leading byte and two continuation bytes.
Protocol participantThreat or exceptionProtocol controlSimplified drawings · precise section references
RFC 2279RFC 3629 §12
The revision restricts UTF-8 to U+0000–U+10FFFF and makes rejection of invalid sequences normative; the resulting maximum is four bytes.
Read the updated RFC section ↗ASCII values use one byte with the high bit clear.
- ASCII values use one byte with the high bit clear.
- Other scalar values use two, three, or four bytes.
- Continuation bytes begin with 10 in binary.
Examples are illustrative. Consult the linked RFC and its errata for implementation details.
Read the RFC section ↗Diagrams simplify the RFC. Read the linked sections for complete requirements.
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