# Functions

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

##  encode

▸ **encode**(_key: *`Uint8Array` \| `string`*, prefix?: *[Prefix](_address_types_.md#prefix)*): `string`

*Defined in [address/encode.ts:15](https://github.com/polkadot-js/common/blob/2efc5f7/packages/keyring/src/address/encode.ts#L15)*

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Default value |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| _key | `Uint8Array` \| `string` | - |
| `Default value` prefix | [Prefix](_address_types_.md#prefix) |  defaults.prefix |

**Returns:** `string`

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