- Alphanumeric Codes Definition: Alphanumeric codes are binary systems used to represent letters, numbers, and symbols in a format that computers can understand.
- ASCII: A 7-bit code that encodes 128 unique symbols, illustrating basic English characters and control codes.
- EBCDIC Usage: Developed by IBM, EBCDIC is an 8-bit code used primarily in older IBM computers, encoding 256 distinct characters.
- UNICODE Advantages: Unicode supports over a million unique characters, making it essential for global digital communication across various platforms and devices.
- Evolution of Codes: Starting from Hollerith code to modern Unicode, alphanumeric codes have significantly evolved to meet the expanding needs of global data interchange.
What is Alphanumeric Code?
Alphanumeric codes, also called character codes, are binary codes that represent letters, numbers, symbols, and punctuation in a form computers can easily process.
Keyboards, monitors, and mice interface with computers using these alphanumeric codes.
The 12-bit Hollerith code was one of the earliest and most well-known codes used in the initial days of computing.
In that era, punch cards were used for data input and output. Today, these codes are considered obsolete, replaced by more advanced coding systems.
Today, the most commonly used alphanumeric codes are ASCII, EBCDIC, and UNICODE. We will explore each of these codes, with examples, in the sections below.
ASCII Code
The full form of ASCII code is the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a seven-bit code based on the English alphabet.
In 1967 this code was first published and since then it is being modified and updated. ASCII code has 128 characters some of which are enlisted below to get familiar with the code.
DEC | OCT | HEX | BIN | Symbol | Description |
0 | 000 | 00 | 00000000 | NUL | Null char |
1 | 001 | 01 | 00000001 | SOH | Start of Heading |
2 | 002 | 02 | 00000010 | STX | Start of Text |
3 | 003 | 03 | 00000011 | ETX | End of Text |
4 | 004 | 04 | 00000100 | EOT | End of Transmission |
5 | 005 | 05 | 00000101 | ENQ | Enquiry |
6 | 006 | 06 | 00000110 | ACK | Acknowledgment |
7 | 007 | 07 | 00000111 | BEL | Bell |
8 | 010 | 08 | 00001000 | BS | Back Space |
9 | 011 | 09 | 00001001 | HT | Horizontal Tab |
10 | 012 | 0A | 00001010 | LF | Line Feed |
11 | 013 | 0B | 00001011 | VT | Vertical Tab |
12 | 014 | 0C | 00001100 | FF | Form Feed |
13 | 015 | 0D | 00001101 | CR | Carriage Return |
14 | 016 | 0E | 00001110 | SO | Shift Out / X-On |
15 | 017 | 0F | 00001111 | SI | Shift In / X-O |
There are many more codes which are not included here.
EBCDIC Code
EBCDIC stands for Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. IBM invented this code to extend the Binary Coded Decimal which existed at that time. All the IBM computers and peripherals use this code. It is an 8-bit code and therefore can accommodate 256 characters. Below are given some characters of EBCDIC code to get familiar with it.
Char | EBCDIC | HEX | Char | EBCDIC | HEX | Char | EBCDIC | HEX |
A | 1100 0001 | C1 | P | 1101 0111 | D7 | 4 | 1111 0100 | F4 |
B | 1100 0010 | C2 | Q | 1101 1000 | D8 | 5 | 1111 0101 | F5 |
C | 1100 0011 | C3 | R | 1101 1001 | D9 | 6 | 1111 0110 | F6 |
D | 1100 0100 | C4 | S | 1110 0010 | E2 | 7 | 1111 0111 | F7 |
E | 1100 0101 | C5 | T | 1110 0011 | E3 | 8 | 1111 1000 | F8 |
F | 1100 0110 | C6 | U | 1110 0100 | E4 | 9 | 1111 1001 | F9 |
G | 1100 0111 | C7 | V | 1110 0101 | E5 | blank | … | … |
H | 1100 1000 | C8 | W | 1110 0110 | E6 | . | … | … |
I | 1100 1001 | C9 | X | 1110 0111 | E7 | ( | … | … |
J | 1101 0001 | D1 | Y | 1110 1000 | E8 | + | … | … |
K | 1101 0010 | D2 | Z | 1110 1001 | E9 | $ | … | … |
L | 1101 0011 | D3 | 0 | 1111 0000 | F0 | * | … | … |
M | 1101 0100 | D4 | 1 | 1111 0001 | F1 | ) | … | … |
N | 1101 0101 | D5 | 2 | 1111 0010 | F2 | – | … | … |
O | 1101 0110 | D6 | 3 | 1111 0011 | F3 | / |
UNICODE
Unicode is the newest concept in digital coding. In Unicode every number has a unique character. Leading technological giants have adopted this code for its uniqueness. A part of the Unicode table is given below.
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0A | 0B | 0C | 0D | 0E | 0F | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 1A | 1B | 1C | 1D | 1E | 1F | ||
0000 | ‑ | | Symbols | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0020 | ! | “ | # | $ | % | & | ‘ | ( | ) | * | + | , | – | . | / | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | : | ; | < | = | > | ? | Number | |
0040 | @ | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | [ | \ | ] | ^ | _ | Alphabet |
0060 | ` | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z | { | | | } | ~ | | |
0080 | € | | ‚ | ƒ | „ | … | † | ‡ | ˆ | ‰ | Š | ‹ | Œ | | Ž | | | ‘ | ’ | “ | ” | • | – | — | ˜ | ™ | š | › | œ | | ž | Ÿ | |
00A0 | ¡ | ¢ | £ | ¤ | ¥ | ¦ | § | ¨ | © | ª | « | ¬ | ® | ¯ | ° | ± | ² | ³ | ´ | µ | ¶ | · | ¸ | ¹ | º | » | ¼ | ½ | ¾ | ¿ | |||
00C0 | À | Á | Â | Ã | Ä | Å | Æ | Ç | È | É | Ê | Ë | Ì | Í | Î | Ï | Ð | Ñ | Ò | Ó | Ô | Õ | Ö | × | Ø | Ù | Ú | Û | Ü | Ý | Þ | ß | Latin |
000E | à | á | â | ã | ä | å | æ | ç | è | é | ê | ë | ì | í | î | ï | ð | ñ | ò | ó | ô | õ | ö | ÷ | ø | ù | ú | û | ü | ý | þ | ÿ | |
0100 | Ā | ā | Ă | ă | Ą | ą | Ć | ć | Ĉ | ĉ | Ċ | ċ | Č | č | Ď | ď | Đ | đ | Ē | ē | Ĕ | ĕ | Ė | ė | Ę | ę | Ě | ě | Ĝ | ĝ | Ğ | ğ | |
0120 | Ġ | ġ | Ģ | ģ | Ĥ | ĥ | Ħ | ħ | Ĩ | ĩ | Ī | ī | Ĭ | ĭ | Į | į | İ | ı | IJ | ij | Ĵ | ĵ | Ķ | ķ | ĸ | Ĺ | ĺ | Ļ | ļ | Ľ | ľ | Ŀ | |
0140 | ŀ | Ł | ł | Ń | ń | Ņ | ņ | Ň | ň | ʼn | Ŋ | ŋ | Ō | ō | Ŏ | ŏ | Ő | ő | Œ | œ | Ŕ | ŕ | Ŗ | ŗ | Ř | ř | Ś | ś | Ŝ | ŝ | Ş | ş | |
0160 | Š | š | Ţ | ţ | Ť | ť | Ŧ | ŧ | Ũ | ũ | Ū | ū | Ŭ | ŭ | Ů | ů | Ű | ű | Ų | ų | Ŵ | ŵ | Ŷ | ŷ | Ÿ | Ź | ź | Ż | ż | Ž | ž | ſ | |
0180 | ƀ | Ɓ | Ƃ | ƃ | Ƅ | ƅ | Ɔ | Ƈ | ƈ | Ɖ | Ɗ | Ƌ | ƌ | ƍ | Ǝ | Ə | Ɛ | Ƒ | ƒ | Ɠ | Ɣ | ƕ | Ɩ | Ɨ | Ƙ | ƙ | ƚ | ƛ | Ɯ | Ɲ | ƞ | Ɵ | |
01A0 | Ơ | ơ | Ƣ | ƣ | Ƥ | ƥ | Ʀ | Ƨ | ƨ | Ʃ | ƪ | ƫ | Ƭ | ƭ | Ʈ | Ư | ư | Ʊ | Ʋ | Ƴ | ƴ | Ƶ | ƶ | Ʒ | Ƹ | ƹ | ƺ | ƻ | Ƽ | ƽ | ƾ | ƿ | |
01C0 | ǀ | ǁ | ǂ | ǃ | DŽ | Dž | dž | LJ | Lj | lj | NJ | Nj | nj | Ǎ | ǎ | Ǐ | ǐ | Ǒ | ǒ | Ǔ | ǔ | Ǖ | ǖ | Ǘ | ǘ | Ǚ | ǚ | Ǜ | ǜ | ǝ | Ǟ | ǟ | |
100E | Ǡ | ǡ | Ǣ | ǣ | Ǥ | ǥ | Ǧ | ǧ | Ǩ | ǩ | Ǫ | ǫ | Ǭ | ǭ | Ǯ | ǯ | ǰ | DZ | Dz | dz | Ǵ | ǵ | Ƕ | Ƿ | Ǹ | ǹ | Ǻ | ǻ | Ǽ | ǽ | Ǿ | ǿ | |
200 | Ȁ | ȁ | Ȃ | ȃ | Ȅ | ȅ | Ȇ | ȇ | Ȉ | ȉ | Ȋ | ȋ | Ȍ | ȍ | Ȏ | ȏ | Ȑ | ȑ | Ȓ | ȓ | Ȕ | ȕ | Ȗ | ȗ | Ș | ș | Ț | ț | Ȝ | ȝ | Ȟ | ȟ | |
0220 | Ƞ | ȡ | Ȣ | ȣ | Ȥ | ȥ | Ȧ | ȧ | Ȩ | ȩ | Ȫ | ȫ | Ȭ | ȭ | Ȯ | ȯ | Ȱ | ȱ | Ȳ | ȳ | ȴ | ȵ | ȶ | ȷ | ȸ | ȹ | Ⱥ | Ȼ | ȼ | Ƚ | Ⱦ | ȿ | |
0240 | ɀ | Ɂ | ɂ | Ƀ | Ʉ | Ʌ | Ɇ | ɇ | Ɉ | ɉ | Ɋ | ɋ | Ɍ | ɍ | Ɏ | ɏ | ɐ | ɑ | ɒ | ɓ | ɔ | ɕ | ɖ | ɗ | ɘ | ə | ɚ | ɛ | ɜ | ɝ | ɞ | ɟ | |
0260 | ɠ | ɡ | ɢ | ɣ | ɤ | ɥ | ɦ | ɧ | ɨ | ɩ | ɪ | ɫ | ɬ | ɭ | ɮ | ɯ | ɰ | ɱ | ɲ | ɳ | ɴ | ɵ | ɶ | ɷ | ɸ | ɹ | ɺ | ɻ | ɼ | ɽ | ɾ | ɿ | |
0280 | ʀ | ʁ | ʂ | ʃ | ʄ | ʅ | ʆ | ʇ | ʈ | ʉ | ʊ | ʋ | ʌ | ʍ | ʎ | ʏ | ʐ | ʑ | ʒ | ʓ | ʔ | ʕ | ʖ | ʗ | ʘ | ʙ | ʚ | ʛ | ʜ | ʝ | ʞ | ʟ | |
02A0 | ʠ | ʡ | ʢ | ʣ | ʤ | ʥ | ʦ | ʧ | ʨ | ʩ | ʪ | ʫ | ʬ | ʭ | ʮ | ʯ | ʰ | ʱ | ʲ | ʳ | ʴ | ʵ | ʶ | ʷ | ʸ | ʹ | ʺ | ʻ | ʼ | ʽ | ʾ | ʿ | |
02C0 | ˀ | ˁ | ˂ | ˃ | ˄ | ˅ | ˆ | ˇ | ˈ | ˉ | ˊ | ˋ | ˌ | ˍ | ˎ | ˏ | ː | ˑ | ˒ | ˓ | ˔ | ˕ | ˖ | ˗ | ˘ | ˙ | ˚ | ˛ | ˜ | ˝ | ˞ | ˟ | |
200E | ˠ | ˡ | ˢ | ˣ | ˤ | ˥ | ˦ | ˧ | ˨ | ˩ | ˪ | ˫ | ˬ | ˭ | ˮ | ˯ | ˰ | ˱ | ˲ | ˳ | ˴ | ˵ | ˶ | ˷ | ˸ | ˹ | ˺ | ˻ | ˼ | ˽ | ˾ | ˿ | |
0300 | ̀ | ́ | ̂ | ̃ | ̄ | ̅ | ̆ | ̇ | ̈ | ̉ | ̊ | ̋ | ̌ | ̍ | ̎ | ̏ | ̐ | ̑ | ̒ | ̓ | ̔ | ̕ | ̖ | ̗ | ̘ | ̙ | ̚ | ̛ | ̜ | ̝ | ̞ | ̟ | |
0320 | ̠ | ̡ | ̢ | ̣ | ̤ | ̥ | ̦ | ̧ | ̨ | ̩ | ̪ | ̫ | ̬ | ̭ | ̮ | ̯ | ̰ | ̱ | ̲ | ̳ | ̴ | ̵ | ̶ | ̷ | ̸ | ̹ | ̺ | ̻ | ̼ | ̽ | ̾ | ̿ | |
0340 | ̀ | ́ | ͂ | ̓ | ̈́ | ͅ | ͆ | ͇ | ͈ | ͉ | ͊ | ͋ | ͌ | ͍ | ͎ | ͏ | ͐ | ͑ | ͒ | ͓ | ͔ | ͕ | ͖ | ͗ | ͘ | ͙ | ͚ | ͛ | ͜ | ͝ | ͞ | ͟ | |
0360 | ͠ | ͡ | ͢ | ͣ | ͤ | ͥ | ͦ | ͧ | ͨ | ͩ | ͪ | ͫ | ͬ | ͭ | ͮ | ͯ | Ͱ | ͱ | Ͳ | ͳ | ʹ | ͵ | Ͷ | ͷ | | | ͺ | ͻ | ͼ | ͽ | ; | Ϳ | |
0380 | | | | | ΄ | ΅ | Ά | · | Έ | Ή | Ί | | Ό | | Ύ | Ώ | ΐ | Α | Β | Γ | Δ | Ε | Ζ | Η | Θ | Ι | Κ | Λ | Μ | Ν | Ξ | Ο | Greek |
03A0 | Π | Ρ | | Σ | Τ | Υ | Φ | Χ | Ψ | Ω | Ϊ | Ϋ | ά | έ | ή | ί | ΰ | α | β | γ | δ | ε | ζ | η | θ | ι | κ | λ | μ | ν | ξ | ο | |
03C0 | π | ρ | ς | σ | τ | υ | φ | χ | ψ | ω | ϊ | ϋ | ό | ύ | ώ | Ϗ | ϐ | ϑ | ϒ | ϓ | ϔ | ϕ | ϖ | ϗ | Ϙ | ϙ | Ϛ | ϛ | Ϝ | ϝ | Ϟ | ϟ | |
300E | Ϡ | ϡ | Ϣ | ϣ | Ϥ | ϥ | Ϧ | ϧ | Ϩ | ϩ | Ϫ | ϫ | Ϭ | ϭ | Ϯ | ϯ | ϰ | ϱ | ϲ | ϳ | ϴ | ϵ | ϶ | Ϸ | ϸ | Ϲ | Ϻ | ϻ | ϼ | Ͻ | Ͼ | Ͽ |