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