Encoding Output in Python 3: Setting sys.stdout's Encoding

In Python 2, the default output encoding could be effortlessly altered by wrapping sys.stdout within a codec writer. However, in Python 3, this technique is rendered obsolete due to the incongruity between the str type expected by sys.stdout.write() and the bytes produced by encoding.

Resolution in Python 3

Beginning with Python 3.7, the reconfigure() method provides a direct solution for modifying the encoding of standard streams, including sys.stdout:

sys.stdout.reconfigure(encoding='utf-8')

This approach effectively changes the encoding to UTF-8. Moreover, you can refine the handling of encoding errors by specifying an errors parameter:

sys.stdout.reconfigure(encoding='utf-8', errors='ignore')

This customization ensures that any encoding errors are silently disregarded, enabling seamless output operations. By utilizing the reconfigure() method, Python 3 programmers can effortlessly modify the encoding of sys.stdout, empowering them to produce consistent and reliable text output across various systems and applications.