sevenbit

Seven-bit refers to data encoded using seven bits per character. The most widely used seven-bit encoding is ASCII, a standardized character set introduced in the 1960s that defines 128 code points (0 to 127). Of these, 0 to 31 and 127 are control characters, while 32 to 126 are printable. Seven-bit encodings are inherently limited to this range, which shaped the design of early computing and telecommunications systems yet continues to influence modern protocols that assume ASCII compatibility.

In practice, seven-bit data informed the operation of many legacy networks and transfer protocols. Some systems treated the eighth bit as unused or required data to be seven-bit clean. To transmit binary data or extended characters within seven-bit constraints, engineers adopted seven-bit-safe encodings such as Base64 or quoted-printable. Where possible, reliable 8-bit transport was later implemented, but in many contexts applications still rely on ASCII-compatible payloads. Today, Unicode with UTF-8 has largely supplanted pure seven-bit ASCII for international text, while preserving ASCII’s first 128 code points for backward compatibility.

In addition to its technical meaning, the term seven-bit or SevenBit is sometimes used as a brand or product name in various industries. When encountered in branding, it is typically unrelated to the encoding concept and reflects the marketing choice of the entity involved.