What does character encoding do?

Character encoding is a system that pairs each character from a given character set with a specific binary number. This allows computers to process and store text accurately. When a character is typed, the character encoding system translates that character into its corresponding binary representation, enabling the system to understand and manipulate text.

For instance, in the commonly used UTF-8 encoding, the letter 'A' is represented by the binary value '01000001'. This binary representation is crucial because computers operate using binary code, and encoding ensures that text is correctly converted into a format that can be understood by computers and displayed accurately on screens.

Thus, character encoding is fundamental to ensuring that data can be reliably shared and displayed across different systems and platforms, facilitating effective communication and data exchange in digital environments. The other options represent processes that may relate to data handling but do not accurately describe the specific function of character encoding itself.