---

feature_name: Encoding API

chrome_version: 38

feature_id: 5714368087982080

---

<h3>Background</h3>

<p>

The JavaScript Encoding API allows developers to encode and decode strings using a wide range of

character encodings.

</p>

<p>

The example on this page illustrates decoding data from a file into JavaScript strings.

The code obtains raw binary <code>ArrayBuffer</code> by making an <code>XMLHttpRequest</code>

for a local file. The code then calls <code>TextDecoder.decode()</code> to translate the data

into a string, given the appropriate character encoding.

</p>

<p>

In a real world scenario, source data might be read from files that predate Unicode

or from a legacy database system that only supported a specific character encoding.

</p>

{% include output_helper.html %}

{% include js_snippet.html filename='demo.js' %}