Development
What is Base64?
An encoding scheme that converts binary data to ASCII text using 64 characters.
Base64 is an encoding scheme that represents binary data using only 64 printable ASCII characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It enables binary data to be transmitted over systems designed for text, such as email or HTTP headers.
Base64 is not encryption — anyone can decode it without a key. It increases data size by approximately 33% because three bytes of binary become four characters of Base64.
Common Applications
- Embedding images in HTML/CSS as data URIs
- Email MIME attachments
- JWT token encoding
- HTTP Basic Authentication credentials
- Binary file content in JSON API responses
FAQ
Is Base64 secure?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Any decoded by anyone without a key. Never use Base64 to protect sensitive data.
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