asn1.js

What is asn1.js?

The asn1.js package is a library designed to provide Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) parsing and encoding capabilities in JavaScript. It's particularly useful for dealing with cryptographic data formats and protocols, allowing developers to encode and decode data in a standardized format.

What are asn1.js's main functionalities?

ASN.1 DER Encoding

This feature allows for the encoding of ASN.1 data types into Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER) format. The code sample demonstrates how to define an ASN.1 integer and encode it into DER format.

const ASN1 = require('asn1.js');

const ASN1Integer = ASN1.define('ASN1Integer', function() {
  this.int();
});

const encoded = ASN1Integer.encode(123, 'der');

ASN.1 DER Decoding

This feature enables the decoding of ASN.1 data encoded in DER format back into its original form. The code sample shows how to decode a previously encoded ASN.1 integer.

const ASN1 = require('asn1.js');

const ASN1Integer = ASN1.define('ASN1Integer', function() {
  this.int();
});

const decoded = ASN1Integer.decode(encoded, 'der');

Other packages similar to asn1.js

node-forge

node-forge is a comprehensive Node.js library that provides a wide range of cryptographic functionalities, including ASN.1 parsing and encoding. Compared to asn1.js, node-forge offers a broader set of cryptographic tools but might be more complex to use for ASN.1 specific tasks.

pkijs

pkijs is a pure JavaScript library that provides a high-level interface to work with PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and ASN.1. It is more focused on PKI and related standards, making it a good choice for applications dealing with X.509 certificates or CMS (Cryptographic Message Syntax). While it includes ASN.1 functionality, it is part of a larger suite of PKI-related features.

README

The README file is missing