Base64 Codec Basics and Introduction

A comprehensive introduction to Base64 encoding, explaining what it is, how it works, and why it's used.

Explore the origins of Base64 encoding, its standardization, and how it has evolved over time.

Learn about the 64 characters used in Base64 encoding and how they represent binary data.

A detailed explanation of the step-by-step process of converting binary data to Base64 and back.

Compare Base64 with other encoding methods like Hex, URL encoding, and Base32 to understand their differences.

Discover the most frequent applications of Base64 encoding in modern computing and web development.

Understand why the MIME standard for email attachments relies on Base64 encoding.

Learn how Base64 encoding enables embedding images directly in HTML and CSS through data URIs.

Learn why Base64 strings sometimes end with '=' characters and how padding works.

Discover how URL-safe Base64 encoding modifies the standard to work better in web URLs and identifiers.

Learn how to calculate the size of Base64 encoded data and why it's approximately 33% larger than the original.

Understand how Base64 serves as a bridge between binary data and text-based systems.

See practical examples of Base64 encoding and decoding with step-by-step explanations.

Learn how Base64 is used in HTTP Basic Authentication and other authentication mechanisms.

Understand how Base64 encoding is used in the structure of JSON Web Tokens for authentication.

Explore how Base64 is utilized in modern HTML5 applications and web development.

Learn why Base64 is not encryption and how to avoid security misconceptions.

An introduction to Base64 encoding and decoding methods in popular programming languages.

An overview of the official standards that define Base64 encoding and its variants.

A structured learning path to progress from beginner to advanced understanding of Base64 encoding.