CommandDialog

Base64 Encoder / Decoder

Encode text data to Base64/Base64URL or decode back to original form, ideal for URL params, data transmission, and complex JSON/XML payloads with UTF-8 support.

Base32 Encoder / Decoder
Encode text into Base32 format or decode back to original form, ideal for case-insensitive encoding, and secure data transmission requiring human-readable formats.
Base62 Encoder / Decoder
Encode integer IDs into Base62 format or decode back to original values, ideal for URL shortening, and systems requiring alphanumeric character sets.
Image to Base64 Converter
Convert images to Base64 with multi-format support. Outputs include Base64, DataURI, HTML tags, links, CSS backgrounds, and HTML favicons.

How to use Base64 Encoder?

  1. Select the “Base64 Encode” tab. If you need to generate a URL-safe encoding, choose the “Base64url Encode” tab.
  2. Enter the text you wish to encode in the plain text box.
  3. The output text box will automatically display the corresponding encoded text.

How to use Base64 Decoder?

  1. Select the “Decode” tab.
  2. Enter the encoded string in the base64/base64url encoded text box.
  3. The system will automatically determine the encoding format and display the decoded string in the output text box.

What is Base64?

The term Base64 originates from a specific MIME content transfer encoding. Essentially, Base64 is a collection of related encoding designs that represent binary information in ASCII format by converting it into a base64 representation.

The specific set of characters chosen for the 64 characters required for Base64 can vary between implementations. The general rule is to select a set of 64 characters that are both part of a subset common to most encodings and printable. This combination ensures that the data remains unaltered during transit through systems such as email, which were traditionally not 8-bit clean. For example, MIME’s Base64 implementation uses A-Z, a-z, and 0-9 for the first 62 values, as well as ”+” and ”/” for the last two. Other variations, usually derived from Base64, share this property but differ in the symbols chosen for the last two values. An example is the URL and filename safe “RFC 4648 / Base64URL” variant, which uses ”-” and ”_”.

Base64-URL is a variant of Base64 that is specifically designed to be URL-safe. Unlike standard Base64, which uses ”+” and ”/” for the last two values, Base64-URL uses ”-” and ”_”. This modification ensures that the encoded data can be safely included in URLs without the need for additional encoding or escaping.

What is Base64 used for?

Base64 encoding schemes are commonly used when there is a need to encode binary information that needs to be stored and transferred over media designed to handle textual information. This ensures that the data remains unchanged during transfer. Base64 is widely used in various applications, including:

  1. Electronic Mail via MIME: Base64 is used to encode binary attachments in emails, ensuring that they can be transmitted over systems that are designed to handle text. This is particularly important for maintaining the integrity of the data during transit.

  2. Storing Complex Information in XML: Base64 is often used to encode complex data such as JSON, code, or other content that includes reserved characters like angle brackets (”<” and ”>”). By encoding this data in Base64, it can be stored in XML without the need for additional escaping, simplifying the data structure and reducing the risk of errors.

  3. Data URLs: Base64 is used to embed binary data directly into web pages or CSS files as data URLs. This allows images, fonts, and other binary resources to be included directly in the HTML or CSS, reducing the number of HTTP requests and improving page load times.

  4. Cryptography: Base64 is often used in cryptographic applications to encode keys, certificates, and other binary data. This ensures that the data can be easily transmitted and stored in text-based formats.

  5. APIs and Web Services: Base64 is commonly used in APIs and web services to encode binary data such as images or files. This allows the data to be transmitted as part of JSON or XML payloads, which are typically text-based.

By using Base64 encoding, developers can ensure that binary data is safely and efficiently transmitted and stored in environments that are designed for text, avoiding potential issues with data corruption or loss.