default_external

Returns default external encoding.

The default external encoding is used by default for strings created from the following locations:

• CSV

• File data read from disk

• SDBM

• StringIO

• Zlib::GzipReader

• Zlib::GzipWriter

• String#inspect

• Regexp#inspect

While strings created from these locations will have this encoding, the encoding may not be valid. Be sure to check String#valid_encoding?.

File data written to disk will be transcoded to the default external encoding when written.

The default external encoding is initialized by the locale or -E option.