UTF-8

[Vivek Shrivastava]

Hi,
Here i need your help to understand the concept.
I know that java's char data type uses 16 bit Unicode encoding and String class contains acollection of java char. i also know that UTF encoding uses as many bits as needed to encode a character: fewer bits for smaller alphabates, more bits for the larger Asian alphabates.( RHE)
Now i got confuse or i should say i could not understand properly when i was reading Exam cram.

The UTF-8 encoding system neatly bridges between the world of 7-bit ASCII and 16 bit Unicode.
A single character may end up encoded in one,two or three bytes.
Here i am totally blank i have no idea what is this UTF-8 encoding? why do we need it ? how is it different from 16 bit unicode ? does '8' in UTF-8 stand for 8 bits?
i would really appreciate your help and effort to explain it to me.

regards
vivek

[Vivek Shrivastava]

some one please help me!
vivek

[Jim Yingst]

Answered over in Marcusville.

[Vivek Shrivastava]

Hi jim,
I am back with some doubt here. i know java uses 16 bits unicode to represent a character. does java use UTF-8? or is there a way to tell java that u wanna use UTF-8? are there any other languages that use UTF-8?
please help me.
vivek
NOTE: i did post same message for u on marcus site.