Baudot / ITA2
The 5-bit code that wired the telegraph.
Where it came from
Baudot code was invented by Émile Baudot in 1870 for multiplexed telegraphy — sending several messages at once. It was the first practical character code and the namesake of "baud" (symbols per second).
Standardized as ITA2, it ran teletypes (TTYs) well into the 20th century. Its 5 bits meant only 32 codes — so it needed shift characters for letters vs figures.
How it works
Each character is 5 bits, but 32 combinations are too few for letters + digits + punctuation. ITA2 solves this with Figures (006) and Letters (007) shift codes that flip the meaning of later symbols.
UWC encodes and decodes Baudot/ITA2 in your browser — a working relic of the telegraph age.