# encode

The `encode` statement is used to base16 or base64 encode the contents of a variable or a [named buffer](/2.10.2/data-pipelines/extract/language/buffer.md).

## Syntax

**`encode base16|base64`***`varName|{buffer_name}`*

## Details

The `encode` statement will encode the contents of an existing variable or named buffer, replacing those contents with the encoded version.

The result of encoding the contents will increase their length. With **`base16`** encoding the new length will be double the original. With **`base64`** encoding the new length will be greater than the original but the exact size increase will depend on the contents being encoded.

When encoding a variable, if the size of the result after encoding exceeds the maximum allowable length for a variable value (8095 characters) then the USE script will fail and an error will be returned.

{% hint style="info" %}
Encoding an empty variable or buffer will produce an empty result
{% endhint %}

## Example

The following script ...

```
var testdata = "Text to be encoded"

print Encoding a variable ...
# Base16-encode a variable
var encode_me = ${testdata}
encode base16 encode_me
print Encoded base16 result is: ${encode_me}

# Base64-encode a variable
var encode_me = ${testdata}
encode base64 encode_me
print Encoded base64 result is: ${encode_me}

print Encoding a buffer ...
# Base16-encode a buffer
buffer encode_buf = data ${testdata}
encode base16 {encode_buf}
print Encoded base16 result is: {encode_buf}

# Base64-encode a buffer
buffer encode_buf = data ${testdata}
encode base64 {encode_buf}
print Encoded base64 result is: {encode_buf}
```

... produces the following output:

```
Encoding a variable ...
Encoded base16 result is: 5465787420746F20626520656E636F646564
Encoded base64 result is: VGV4dCB0byBiZSBlbmNvZGVk
Encoding a buffer ...
Encoded base16 result is: 5465787420746F20626520656E636F646564
Encoded base64 result is: VGV4dCB0byBiZSBlbmNvZGVk
```


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