bs58check

What is bs58check?

The bs58check npm package is used for encoding and decoding data in Base58Check format. This format is commonly used in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, for encoding addresses and other data. The package ensures that the data is encoded in a way that includes a checksum to detect errors.

What are bs58check's main functionalities?

Encoding

This feature allows you to encode a buffer of data into a Base58Check encoded string. The encoded string includes a checksum to help detect errors.

const bs58check = require('bs58check');
const data = Buffer.from('Hello, world!');
const encoded = bs58check.encode(data);
console.log(encoded); // Outputs the Base58Check encoded string

Decoding

This feature allows you to decode a Base58Check encoded string back into its original buffer of data. The checksum is verified during the decoding process to ensure data integrity.

const bs58check = require('bs58check');
const encoded = '3vQB7B6MrGQZaxCuFg4oh';
const decoded = bs58check.decode(encoded);
console.log(decoded.toString()); // Outputs the original data

Encoding with Error Handling

This feature demonstrates how to handle errors during the encoding process. If the encoding fails for any reason, an error will be caught and logged.

const bs58check = require('bs58check');
try {
  const data = Buffer.from('Hello, world!');
  const encoded = bs58check.encode(data);
  console.log(encoded); // Outputs the Base58Check encoded string
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Encoding failed:', error);
}

Decoding with Error Handling

This feature demonstrates how to handle errors during the decoding process. If the decoding fails due to an invalid checksum or other issues, an error will be caught and logged.

const bs58check = require('bs58check');
try {
  const encoded = '3vQB7B6MrGQZaxCuFg4oh';
  const decoded = bs58check.decode(encoded);
  console.log(decoded.toString()); // Outputs the original data
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Decoding failed:', error);
}

Other packages similar to bs58check

base-x

The base-x package provides a generic base encoding/decoding for any base between 2 and 58. It is more flexible than bs58check as it allows for custom alphabets and does not include a checksum by default. This makes it suitable for a wider range of applications but requires additional steps to ensure data integrity.

bs58

The bs58 package is specifically designed for Base58 encoding and decoding, similar to bs58check but without the checksum feature. It is simpler and faster for applications where a checksum is not necessary.

base58

The base58 package provides Base58 encoding and decoding functionality. It is similar to bs58 but offers additional features such as support for different Base58 alphabets. It does not include a checksum by default, making it less suitable for applications requiring error detection.

README

bs58check

A straight forward implementation of base58check extending upon bs58.

Example

var bs58check = require('bs58check')

var decoded = bs58check.decode('5Kd3NBUAdUnhyzenEwVLy9pBKxSwXvE9FMPyR4UKZvpe6E3AgLr')

console.log(decoded)
// => <Buffer 80 ed db dc 11 68 f1 da ea db d3 e4 4c 1e 3f 8f 5a 28 4c 20 29 f7 8a d2 6a f9 85 83 a4 99 de 5b 19>

console.log(bs58check.encode(decoded))
// => 5Kd3NBUAdUnhyzenEwVLy9pBKxSwXvE9FMPyR4UKZvpe6E3AgLr

License

This library is free and open-source software released under the MIT license.