How does Splunk encode characters by default?

Splunk encodes characters by default using UTF-8. This encoding is widely adopted because it supports a vast range of characters from different languages and scripts, making it highly versatile for handling diverse datasets. UTF-8 is capable of encoding all possible characters in Unicode, and it does so in a manner that is backward compatible with ASCII; this means any ASCII text is also valid UTF-8 text.

This encoding choice allows Splunk to efficiently process and analyze varied types of data, including logs and text from different sources, ensuring that no information is lost due to unsupported characters. Splunk's default use of UTF-8 also facilitates better integration with modern applications and databases that commonly utilize this standard.