docs: @SuppressWarnings("PMD.UseVarargs")
      public static char[] toChars(final byte[] bytes) {
  
          // make sure we can handle null inputs
          if (bytes == null) {
              return toChars(new byte[0], Charset.defaultCharset().name());
          } else {
              return toChars(bytes, Charset.defaultCharset().name());
          }
      }