UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xc4 in position 0: Invalid Continuation Byte - Python Error Resolution

This error occurs when Python attempts to decode a byte string using the UTF-8 codec, but encounters a byte that isn't a valid continuation byte within the UTF-8 encoding.

In UTF-8 encoding, characters are represented by sequences of one or more bytes. The initial byte of a multi-byte sequence begins with a prefix indicating the number of bytes in the sequence, followed by one or more continuation bytes carrying the actual character data. If a byte is encountered that doesn't qualify as a valid continuation byte, it signals that the sequence isn't properly formed.

To address this error, try the following steps:

1. Verify the encoding of the source file or input data. If it's not UTF-8, you might need to specify the correct encoding while reading the file or input data.

2. If the source file or input data is in UTF-8, check for any invalid characters or byte sequences. You can use a text editor or a hex editor to pinpoint these characters.

3. If working with non-ASCII characters, ensure you utilize Unicode strings instead of byte strings. Employ the 'decode()' method to transform byte strings into Unicode strings.

4. When interacting with external data sources like a database or a web API, ensure you specify the correct encoding during data reading or writing.