ASCII Code Lookup Table

Complete ASCII Code Reference Guide

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a character encoding standard that assigns numeric codes to letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and control characters. Our ASCII code lookup tool provides instant access to the complete ASCII table from 0 to 255, displaying each character with its corresponding decimal, hexadecimal, binary, and octal codes.

Understanding ASCII Character Encoding

The ASCII standard was developed in the 1960s and remains fundamental to modern computing. Standard ASCII uses 7 bits to represent 128 characters (codes 0-127), including control characters, printable characters, and the DELETE character. Extended ASCII uses 8 bits to represent 256 characters (codes 0-255), adding international characters, currency symbols, and graphical elements.

ASCII Code Categories

ASCII characters are divided into three main categories: Control characters (0-31 and 127) are non-printable characters used for text formatting and device control, such as newline, carriage return, tab, and escape. Printable characters (32-126) include the space character, digits 0-9, uppercase and lowercase letters A-Z, and common punctuation marks and symbols. Extended ASCII characters (128-255) vary by code page but typically include accented letters, currency symbols, box-drawing characters, and mathematical symbols.

Common ASCII Codes for Programming

When programming in C, C++, Python, Java, or JavaScript, you frequently need ASCII codes for special characters. The bullet point character (•) has ASCII code 149 (decimal), 0x95 (hexadecimal), 225 (octal), or 10010101 (binary). The middle dot (·) is code 183. The asterisk (*) commonly used as a bullet is code 42. The space character is code 32. The newline character is code 10. The tab character is code 9. Understanding these codes is essential for text processing, file I/O, and string manipulation.

Using ASCII Codes in Different Programming Languages

Each programming language has its own syntax for working with ASCII codes. In C and C++, you can use escape sequences like \x95 for hexadecimal or cast decimal values to char type. Python provides the chr() function to convert decimal codes to characters and ord() to convert characters to codes. JavaScript uses String.fromCharCode() for decimal codes and charCodeAt() to get codes from characters. Java uses Unicode escape sequences like \u0095 or casts integer values to char type. Our tool displays codes in all formats so you can copy the right syntax for your language.

ASCII Codes in HTML and Web Development

HTML supports ASCII characters through HTML entities and numeric character references. Named entities like • for bullet point (•) or · for middle dot (·) are easy to remember and read. Decimal numeric references use the format • while hexadecimal references use •. In CSS, you can insert ASCII characters in the content property using escaped hexadecimal codes like content: "\95"; for pseudo-elements. Our ASCII lookup tool provides both HTML entities and CSS escape sequences for web development.

ASCII Codes for Embedded Systems and Serial Communication

Embedded systems developers and electronics engineers frequently work with ASCII codes when programming microcontrollers, sending serial data, or controlling displays. Control characters like carriage return (13) and line feed (10) are essential for serial communication protocols. ASCII codes are used to send commands to devices, display text on LCD screens, and parse data from sensors. Binary and hexadecimal representations are particularly useful when working with low-level hardware interfaces and debugging communication protocols.

Learning ASCII for Computer Science Education

Understanding ASCII is fundamental for computer science students learning about character encoding, data representation, and text processing. ASCII provides a foundation for understanding more complex encoding systems like Unicode (UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-32) and helps students grasp how computers store and manipulate text data. Our ASCII table tool is perfect for students who need to quickly reference character codes while completing programming assignments, debugging code, or studying for exams.

ASCII Code Lookup Tool Features

Our free ASCII code lookup tool offers comprehensive features for developers, students, and anyone working with character encoding. Browse the complete ASCII table from 0 to 255 with all character codes clearly displayed. View each character in multiple number formats: decimal, hexadecimal, binary, and octal. Search for specific characters by typing the character itself, its code in any format, or its description. Filter characters by category to focus on printable characters, control characters, extended ASCII, or bullet-related characters. Click any row to select it and view detailed information with one-click copy buttons for all code formats. Bullet-related characters are highlighted with a star icon and colored border for easy identification.

Why Use Our ASCII Lookup Tool?

Unlike traditional character map applications or manual reference tables, our ASCII lookup tool is designed for modern developers and students. It works directly in your web browser without any installation or downloads. The responsive design works perfectly on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Smart search and filtering help you find the exact character you need in seconds. One-click copy buttons eliminate typing errors and save time. Multiple number format displays mean you don't need to manually convert between decimal, hex, binary, and octal. HTML entity codes and CSS escape sequences are provided for web developers. The tool is completely free with no registration required and no advertisements to distract you.

ASCII vs Unicode Character Encoding

While ASCII remains important for legacy systems and basic text processing, modern applications typically use Unicode encoding (UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-32) to support international characters and emoji. ASCII is a subset of Unicode, meaning the first 128 Unicode code points (U+0000 to U+007F) are identical to ASCII codes 0-127. Understanding ASCII helps you understand Unicode and troubleshoot character encoding issues. Our tool focuses on ASCII codes but also provides Unicode code points for extended ASCII characters, helping you bridge the gap between ASCII and Unicode systems.