encode() method in python

Question

If X = "ABCD" then encoding the X should show: \x41\x42\x43\x44

But why does X.encoding("utf-8") shows: b"ABCD"

I am having difficulties in understanding how text encoding works in python?

The two things you showed, are the same thing. The terminal will interpret \x41 and print A for you. b'\x41' == b'A' will be True. And that's because, again, they're the same - you're just seeing a representation of \x41. — Torxed
– Torxed, Commented May 6, 2020 at 13:50
Does this answer your question? What's the correct way to convert bytes to a hex string in Python 3? — Torxed
– Torxed, Commented May 6, 2020 at 13:52
bytes are shown as user-friendly as possible. But both \x41\x42\x43\x44 and ABCD are just two different representations of the same information. — Klaus D.
– Klaus D., Commented May 6, 2020 at 13:53
There's also this: stackoverflow.com/questions/13435922/python-encode — Torxed
– Torxed, Commented May 6, 2020 at 13:53

h4z3 · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-06 13:53:39Z

1

Those are the same thing - bytes are just shown in human-readable form whenever it's possible. :)

Try it yourself in Python console:

>>> b"\x41\x42\x43\x44"
b'ABCD'
>>> "ABCD".encode() == b"\x41\x42\x43\x44"
True

answered May 6, 2020 at 13:53

h4z3

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