Base64 in JSON: Embedding Binary Data in JSON Payloads
JSON has no binary type, so Base64 is the standard way to embed binary data. Learn patterns for encoding files, images, and byte arrays in JSON APIs.
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Tags: encoding, json, base64
Base64 in JSON: Embedding Binary Data in JSON Payloads JSON supports strings, numbers, booleans, null, arrays, and objects. It does not support binary data. When an API needs to carry an image, a PDF, a cryptographic key, or any byte sequence in a JSON payload, Base64 encoding is the standard solution. This pattern appears everywhere: user avatars in profile APIs, file upload endpoints, webhook payloads with signature bytes, machine learning APIs accepting images, and document generation services returning PDFs. The Basic Pattern The convention is straightforward: binary data becomes a Base64-encoded string field, usually accompanied by a field declaring the MIME type or data format: There's no formal RFC defining this — it's an informal convention that has become near-universal.…
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