What is Base64?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in ASCII format using 64 printable characters. It's commonly used for data transmission and storage.
- Character Set: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /
- Padding: Uses '=' for padding
- Efficiency: 33% size increase
- Use Cases: Email, web, APIs
Common Applications
Base64 encoding is used in various scenarios where binary data needs to be transmitted through text-based protocols.
- Email Attachments: MIME encoding
- Data URLs: Embedding images in HTML/CSS
- API Responses: JSON binary data
- Authentication: Basic HTTP auth