Implement encode and decode for a list of strings.

Focus on designing a solution that efficiently encodes and decodes a list of strings while ensuring that no data is lost or misinterpreted during the process. Consider edge cases such as empty strings, special characters, and varying string lengths. Discuss your choice of encoding scheme—whether to use delimiters, length prefixes, or another method—and explain how it prevents ambiguity during decoding. Be prepared to walk through your implementation step-by-step, highlighting the time and space complexity of your solution.