What is js-base64?
The js-base64 npm package is a simple, fast, and consistent library for encoding and decoding to and from Base64, a group of binary-to-text encoding schemes that represent binary data in an ASCII string format by translating it into a radix-64 representation. It can be used in both browser and Node.js environments.
What are js-base64's main functionalities?
Encoding to Base64
This feature allows you to encode a string into Base64 format.
const { Base64 } = require('js-base64');
const encoded = Base64.encode('Hello, World!');
console.log(encoded); // Outputs: SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==
Decoding from Base64
This feature allows you to decode a Base64 encoded string back to its original format.
const { Base64 } = require('js-base64');
const decoded = Base64.decode('SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==');
console.log(decoded); // Outputs: Hello, World!
Safe URL Base64 Encoding and Decoding
This feature provides methods for encoding and decoding Base64 in a URL-safe manner, which means it can be used in URL query parameters without needing additional encoding.
const { Base64 } = require('js-base64');
const urlEncoded = Base64.encodeURI('https://www.example.com/?search=js-base64');
console.log(urlEncoded); // Outputs a URL-safe Base64 string
const urlDecoded = Base64.decode(urlEncoded);
console.log(urlDecoded); // Outputs the original URL
No Padding Option
This feature allows you to encode in Base64 without any padding characters ('='), which might be necessary in certain contexts where padding is not supported or desired.
const { Base64 } = require('js-base64');
const noPaddingEncoded = Base64.encode('Hello, World!', true); // The second argument indicates no padding
console.log(noPaddingEncoded); // Outputs: SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ
Other packages similar to js-base64
btoa
The btoa package provides a polyfill for the btoa() function, which converts binary data to a Base64-encoded string. It is primarily intended for use in environments where the window.btoa function is not available, such as Node.js. It does not offer decoding functionality.
atob
The atob package is the counterpart to btoa, providing a polyfill for the atob() function, which decodes a Base64-encoded string. Like btoa, it is intended for environments where the window.atob function is not available, and it only offers decoding functionality.
base64-js
The base64-js package provides functions to encode and decode Base64 in a way that is highly compatible with the browser's built-in btoa and atob functions. It is designed to be more efficient by working with Typed Arrays, making it suitable for performance-critical applications that handle binary data.
buffer
The buffer package is a Node.js module that provides additional functionalities for manipulating binary data. It includes methods for encoding and decoding Base64 as part of its API. While it is more comprehensive than js-base64, it is also more complex and Node.js specific.