What Does 8-Bit Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8) Mean?

8-bit Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8) is a relatively new code convention for encoding various characters. It is a standard for character identity and a reference for a wide variety of programming languages and devices, including computers and mobile devices. The UTF-8 protocol helps to standardize the display of letters, numbers and other characters.

Techopedia Explains 8-Bit Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8)

In many cases, UTF-8 replaces an older convention called American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). ASCII handled all of the characters necessary for English language text, but UTF-8 handles more diverse sets of symbols for other languages that do not use the English language, or Roman alphabet. UTF-8 is considered backward-compatible with ASCII.