Convert text to octal and back instantly — base-8 encoding
Octal is a base-8 number system using digits 0-7. Historically, it was popular in computing because three binary digits (bits) map perfectly to one octal digit, making it useful for representing binary data compactly. When you convert text to octal, each character is first converted to its ASCII decimal value, then represented as an octal (base-8) number. For example, the letter "A" (ASCII 65) becomes 101 in octal.
While less common than hexadecimal today, octal remains important in Unix and Linux systems, particularly for file permissions (like 755 or 644). System administrators and programmers still encounter octal notation regularly. Understanding octal helps you work with legacy systems and appreciate the historical evolution of computing conventions.
In octal, each position represents a power of 8. The rightmost digit represents 8^0 (1), the next represents 8^1 (8), then 8^2 (64), and so on. When converting from decimal to octal, you repeatedly divide by 8 and track remainders. This tool automates that process, converting text characters to their octal equivalents instantly and accurately.
Need to convert between different formats? Try our related encoding and conversion tools: MD5 Hash Generator, SHA256 Hash Generator, Base64 Encoder/Decoder, Text Binary Converter, Text Hex Converter, Text Decimal Converter, or URL Encoder/Decoder.
Octal is mainly used for file permissions in Unix/Linux (e.g., chmod 755) and in legacy systems. For general data representation, hexadecimal is now preferred.
Enter octal values separated by spaces, like "101 102 103", which converts to "ABC". The converter handles spacing automatically.
Octal uses base-8 (digits 0-7) while hex uses base-16 (digits 0-9, A-F). Hex is more compact and popular in modern development, while octal remains in Unix permissions.