# Functions

<a id="encode"></a>

##  encode

▸ **encode**(_key: * `Uint8Array` &#124; `string`*, prefix?: *`Prefix`*): `string`

*Defined in [address/encode.ts:15](https://github.com/polkadot-js/common/blob/dc07e26/packages/keyring/src/address/encode.ts#L15)*

**Parameters:**

| Param | Type | Default value |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| _key |  `Uint8Array` &#124; `string`| - |
| `Default value` prefix | `Prefix` |  defaults.prefix |

**Returns:** `string`

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