char vs wchar_t when to use which data type

Question

I want to understand the difference between char and wchar_t ? I understand that wchar_t uses more bytes but can I get a clear cut exa

Answer 1

Never use wchar_t.

When possible, use (some kind of array of) char, such as std::string, and ensure that it is encoded in UTF-8.

When you must interface with APIs that don't speak UTF-8, use char16_t or char32_t. Never use them otherwise; they provide only illusory advantages and encourage faulty code.

Note that there are plenty of cases where more than one char32_t is required to represent a single user-visible character. OTOH, using UTF-8 with char forces you to handle variable width very early.