Base64 in Bash: Encode and Decode from CLI
Use the base64 command in Linux/macOS to encode strings, encode files, decode output, and pipe data between tools. Covers macOS vs GNU differences.
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Tags: encoding, bash, base64
Base64 in Bash: Encode and Decode Files from the Command Line The command is available on Linux (GNU coreutils) and macOS (BSD base64). The APIs differ slightly — the flag for line wrapping exists on Linux but not macOS, and vs are not interchangeable. This guide covers both platforms, with the patterns for encoding/decoding strings and files, piping, and shell scripting. --- Basic encoding The flag on suppresses the trailing newline. Without it, the newline becomes part of the encoded data: --- Basic decoding works on both Linux and macOS, making it the safest choice for portable scripts. --- Encoding and decoding files Encoding a file Decoding a file --- Cross-platform scripts The key differences between GNU (Linux) and BSD (macOS) : | Feature | Linux (GNU) | macOS (BSD) | |---|---|---|…
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