# Functions

<a id="stringtou8a"></a>

##  stringToU8a

▸ **stringToU8a**(value?: * `undefined` &#124; `string`*): `Uint8Array`

*Defined in [string/toU8a.ts:24](https://github.com/polkadot-js/common/blob/e3b45e7/packages/util/src/string/toU8a.ts#L24)*

*__name__*: stringToU8a

*__signature__*: stringToU8a (value?: string): UInt8Array

*__summary__*: Creates a Uint8Array object from a utf-8 string.

*__description__*: String input values return the actual encoded `UInt8Array`. `null` or `undefined` values returns an empty encoded array.

*__example__*:   

```javascript
import { stringToU8a } from '@polkadot/util';

stringToU8a('hello'); // [0x68, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x6c, 0x6f]
```

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type |
| ------ | ------ |
| `Optional` value |  `undefined` &#124; `string`|

**Returns:** `Uint8Array`

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