> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.firebolt.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> Reference material for ENCODE function

# ENCODE

Encode binary data into a SQL expression of type `TEXT`.

## Syntax

```sql theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
ENCODE(<expression>, <format>)
```

## Parameters

| Parameter      | Description                         | Supported input types                        |
| :------------- | :---------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------- |
| `<expression>` | A SQL expression of type `BYTEA`    | `BYTEA`                                      |
| `<format>`     | Format to use to encode binary data | `HEX`, `ESCAPE`, `BASE64` (case insensitive) |

The `HEX` format represents each 4 bits of data as one hexadecimal digit, 0 through f, writing the higher-order digit of each byte first. The `ENCODE` function outputs the a-f hex digits in lower case. Because the smallest unit of data is 8 bits, there are always an even number of characters returned by `ENCODE`.

The `ESCAPE` format converts zero bytes and bytes with the high bit set into octal escape sequences (\nnn) and doubles backslashes. Other byte values are represented literally.

THE `BASE64` format, per [RFC 2045 Section 6.8](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2045#section-6.8), breaks encoded lines at 76 characters using a newline for end of line.

## Return Type

`TEXT`

## Examples

The following examples encode binary expressions to the `ESCAPE`, `HEX`, and `BASE64` format:

<div className="query-window">
  ```
  SELECT ENCODE('123\000456'::BYTEA, 'ESCAPE');
  ```

  | encode <span>text</span> |
  | :----------------------- |
  | 123\000456               |

  <p><span>Rows: 1</span><span>Execution time: 5.55ms</span></p>
</div>

<div className="query-window">
  ```
  SELECT ENCODE('123\000456'::BYTEA, 'HEX');
  ```

  | encode <span>text</span> |
  | :----------------------- |
  | 31323300343536           |

  <p><span>Rows: 1</span><span>Execution time: 6.84ms</span></p>
</div>

<div className="query-window">
  ```
  SELECT ENCODE('123\000456'::BYTEA, 'BASE64');
  ```

  | encode <span>text</span> |
  | :----------------------- |
  | MTIzADQ1Ng==             |

  <p><span>Rows: 1</span><span>Execution time: 5.74ms</span></p>
</div>