Computer Basics - ASCII and Unicode Standards

ASCII and Unicode standards define how characters such as letters, numbers, and symbols are represented inside a computer. Since computers store and process data in binary form, there must be a standardized way to convert human-readable characters into numerical codes. These standards ensure that text appears correctly across different computers, software, and operating systems.

ASCII Character Encoding

ASCII, which stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, was one of the earliest character encoding systems. It uses a 7-bit binary code to represent characters, allowing for 128 unique symbols. These include uppercase and lowercase English letters, digits, punctuation marks, and basic control characters used for formatting text and communication.

Limitations of ASCII

Although ASCII was simple and efficient, it had major limitations. It could represent only English characters and a small set of symbols, making it unsuitable for languages with larger character sets. As computing spread globally, the need for a more flexible and inclusive encoding system became clear.

Unicode Character Encoding

Unicode was developed to overcome the limitations of ASCII by providing a universal character encoding standard. It supports characters from almost all written languages in the world, along with symbols, emojis, and special technical characters. Unicode assigns a unique code point to each character, ensuring consistent representation across platforms and devices.

Importance of Character Encoding Standards

Character encoding standards play a crucial role in text processing, data exchange, and international communication. By using standardized encoding systems like ASCII and Unicode, computers can store, display, and transmit text accurately without data loss or misinterpretation. This consistency is essential for modern software, web applications, and global information systems.