* `size` {Number}

Allocates a new `Buffer` of `size` bytes. The `size` must be less than

or equal to the value of `require('buffer').kMaxLength` (on 64-bit

architectures, `kMaxLength` is `(2^31)-1`). Otherwise, a [`RangeError`][] is

thrown. A zero-length Buffer will be created if a `size` less than or equal to

0 is specified.

Allocates a new `Buffer` of `size` bytes. The `size` must be less than or equal

to the value of [`buffer.kMaxLength`]. Otherwise, a [`RangeError`] is thrown.

A zero-length `Buffer` will be created if `size <= 0`.

Unlike [`ArrayBuffers`][`ArrayBuffer`], the underlying memory for `Buffer` instances

created in this way is *not initialized*. The contents of a newly created `Buffer`

console.log(buf);

```

The `size` must be less than or equal to the value of

`require('buffer').kMaxLength` (on 64-bit architectures, `kMaxLength` is

`(2^31)-1`). Otherwise, a [`RangeError`][] is thrown. A zero-length Buffer will

be created if a `size` less than or equal to 0 is specified.

The `size` must be less than or equal to the value of [`buffer.kMaxLength`].

Otherwise, a [`RangeError`] is thrown. A zero-length `Buffer` will be created if

`size <= 0`.

If `fill` is specified, the allocated `Buffer` will be initialized by calling

[`buf.fill(fill)`][`buf.fill()`].

* `size` {Number}

Allocates a new *non-zero-filled* `Buffer` of `size` bytes. The `size` must

be less than or equal to the value of `require('buffer').kMaxLength` (on 64-bit

architectures, `kMaxLength` is `(2^31)-1`). Otherwise, a [`RangeError`][] is

thrown. A zero-length Buffer will be created if a `size` less than or equal to

0 is specified.

be less than or equal to the value of [`buffer.kMaxLength`]. Otherwise, a

[`RangeError`] is thrown. A zero-length `Buffer` will be created if `size <= 0`.

The underlying memory for `Buffer` instances created in this way is *not

initialized*. The contents of the newly created `Buffer` are unknown and

size [`Buffer.poolSize`] that is used as a pool for the fast allocation of new

`Buffer` instances created using [`Buffer.allocUnsafe()`] (and the deprecated

`new Buffer(size)` constructor) only when `size` is less than or equal to

`Buffer.poolSize >> 1` (floor of `Buffer.poolSize` divided by two). The default

value of `Buffer.poolSize` is `8192` but can be modified.

`Buffer.poolSize >> 1` (floor of [`Buffer.poolSize`] divided by two).

Use of this pre-allocated internal memory pool is a key difference between

calling `Buffer.alloc(size, fill)` vs. `Buffer.allocUnsafe(size).fill(fill)`.

Specifically, `Buffer.alloc(size, fill)` will *never* use the internal `Buffer`

pool, while `Buffer.allocUnsafe(size).fill(fill)` *will* use the internal

Buffer pool if `size` is less than or equal to half `Buffer.poolSize`. The

`Buffer` pool if `size` is less than or equal to half [`Buffer.poolSize`]. The

difference is subtle but can be important when an application requires the

additional performance that [`Buffer.allocUnsafe()`] provides.

* `size` {Number}

Allocates a new *non-zero-filled* and non-pooled `Buffer` of `size` bytes. The

`size` must be less than or equal to the value of

`require('buffer').kMaxLength` (on 64-bit architectures, `kMaxLength` is

`(2^31)-1`). Otherwise, a [`RangeError`][] is thrown. A zero-length Buffer will

be created if a `size` less than or equal to 0 is specified.

`size` must be less than or equal to the value of [`buffer.kMaxLength`].

Otherwise, a [`RangeError`] is thrown. A zero-length `Buffer` will be created if

`size <= 0`.

The underlying memory for `Buffer` instances created in this way is *not

initialized*. The contents of the newly created `Buffer` are unknown and

Returns `true` if `encoding` contains a supported character encoding, or `false`

otherwise.

### Class Property: Buffer.poolSize

<!-- YAML

added: v0.11.3

-->

* {Number} **Default:** `8192`

This is the number of bytes used to determine the size of pre-allocated, internal

`Buffer` instances used for pooling. This value may be modified.

### buf[index]

<!-- YAML

type: property

Note that this is a property on the `buffer` module as returned by

`require('buffer')`, not on the `Buffer` global or a `Buffer` instance.

## buffer.kMaxLength

<!-- YAML

added: v3.0.0

-->

* {Number} The largest size allowed for a single `Buffer` instance

On 32-bit architectures, this value is `(2^30)-1` (~1GB).

On 64-bit architectures, this value is `(2^31)-1` (~2GB).

## Class: SlowBuffer

<!-- YAML

deprecated: v6.0.0

* `size` Number

Allocates a new `SlowBuffer` of `size` bytes. The `size` must be less than

or equal to the value of `require('buffer').kMaxLength` (on 64-bit

architectures, `kMaxLength` is `(2^31)-1`). Otherwise, a [`RangeError`][] is

thrown. A zero-length Buffer will be created if a `size` less than or equal to

0 is specified.

or equal to the value of [`buffer.kMaxLength`]. Otherwise, a [`RangeError`] is

thrown. A zero-length `Buffer` will be created if `size <= 0`.

The underlying memory for `SlowBuffer` instances is *not initialized*. The

contents of a newly created `SlowBuffer` are unknown and could contain