What is Base64 Encoder Decoder
"It is commonly used to encode binary data in email messages, HTML files, and other text-based formats that do not support binary data."
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It is a widely used method to encode data that needs to be transmitted over channels that are designed to handle textual data only.
In Base64 encoding, every three bytes of binary data are converted into four characters from a limited set of 64 characters. These 64 characters include uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and some special characters. Base64 encoding increases the data size by 33% as each group of 3 bytes is converted into 4 characters.
Base64 Encoder Decoder Tool
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Output String:
Important Note:
How Base64 Encoding Decoding Works?
01100001 01100010 01100011
011000 010110 001101 100000
Value Character
000000 A
000001 B
...
011000 Y
011001 Z
011010 a
011011 b
...
111101 /
111110 +
111111 =
YWJj
To decode this data back to its original form, we simply reverse the process, starting with the Base64 characters and converting them back to binary. We then group the binary data into bytes and decode it as needed. You can use Base64 encoding decoding method available in every programming language, or use our online tool to encode and decode base64 strings.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII string format. In Base64 encoding, every three bytes of binary data are converted into four characters from a limited set of 64 characters. The encoding is commonly used to represent binary data in a format that can be transmitted over channels that are designed to handle textual data only.
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What is Base64 decoding?
Base64 decoding is the process of converting Base64 encoded data back into its original binary form. This is done by reversing the process of Base64 encoding, where each set of four characters is converted back into a corresponding set of three bytes.
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What is Base64 used for?
Base64 is used to encode binary data into a format that can be transmitted over channels that are designed to handle textual data only. It is commonly used in email systems, web pages, and data exchange protocols to ensure that binary data is transmitted accurately and reliably.
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What characters are used in Base64 encoding?
Base64 encoding uses a limited set of 64 characters to represent binary data. These characters include uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and some special characters. The complete list of Base64 characters can be found in the encoding table.
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How does Base64 increase data size?
Base64 encoding increases data size by 33% as each group of three bytes is converted into four characters. This is because each character in Base64 represents 6 bits of data, whereas each byte represents 8 bits of data. Therefore, to represent 24 bits of data (3 bytes), four Base64 characters are required.
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Is Base64 encryption or compression?
Base64 is not encryption or compression. It is an encoding scheme used to represent binary data in a format that can be transmitted over channels that are designed to handle textual data only. Encoding converts data from one format to another, but it does not provide any security or compression benefits.
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Is Base64 reversible?
Yes, Base64 is reversible. The process of Base64 encoding is reversible, meaning that the original binary data can be retrieved by decoding the Base64 encoded data. However, it should be noted that Base64 encoding is not a form of encryption, and the encoded data can be easily decoded if intercepted by unauthorized parties.
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How can I encode or decode Base64 strings?
You can encode or decode Base64 strings using a variety of methods, including online tools (such as we have in above section), programming languages, and command-line tools. Many programming languages have built-in functions or libraries for encoding and decoding Base64 strings, such as Python's base64 module. Online tools are also available that allow you to encode or decode Base64 strings without writing any code.