Base64 for Binary Data: Encoding for Text Channels
When a protocol only accepts text, Base64 bridges the gap. Learn how to encode arbitrary binary data, handle null bytes, and decode it correctly.
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Tags: encoding, binary, base64
Base64 for Binary Data: Encoding Bytes for Text-Only Channels Binary data is a sequence of bytes where every value from 0 to 255 is valid. Most computer systems work fine with arbitrary bytes. Text-only channels do not — they have rules about which byte values are legal, what line endings mean, and where a message ends. Base64 encoding bridges this gap. It converts arbitrary binary data into a string using only 64 safe characters, making it transmissible over any text channel. Understanding when and why this matters prevents bugs in APIs, email systems, database storage, and network protocols. Why Text Channels Can't Handle Raw Binary Here's the core problem. The string is five bytes: The string (with a null byte in the middle) is eleven bytes: A text channel that treats byte as a string…
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