This is a Public Domain Java class providing very fast Base64 encoding and decoding in the form of convenience methods and input/output streams.

Download Now! base64.zip (36k)

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There are other Base64 utilities on the Internet, some part of proprietary packages, some with various open source licenses. One such package is a good Base64 tool available with other good Java tools under the GNU Public License at http://kevinkelley.mystarband.net/java/goodies.html. In any event, I hope with one or more of these Base64 tools, you won't have to write your own like I did.

Bug fixes:

• v1.4 - Added some helper methods for reading and writing to/from files.
• v1.3.6 - Fixed OutputStream.flush() so that 'position' is reset.
• v1.3.5 - Added flag to turn on and off line breaks. Fixed bug in input stream where last buffer being read, if not completely full, was not returned.
• v1.3.4 - Fixed when Improperly padded base64 stream exception was incorrectly thrown.
• A bug has been fixed that kept I/O streams from working at all, really.
• A bug has been fixed affecting you if you use the Base64.InputStream to encode data.
• A bug has been fixed where if you specified an offset when encoding an array of bytes, the offset was ignored.

The easiest way to convert some data is with the convenience methods:

String result1 = Base64.encodeString( "Why encode ASCII text?" );
String result2 = Base64.encodeObject( mySerializableObject );
String result3 = Base64.encodeBytes( new byte[]{ 3, 34, 116, 9 } );

Or you can use the very efficient streams:

OutputStream out = new Base64.OutputStream( 
                    new FileOutputStream( "out.txt" ) );
// Go on about your outputting...
// ...

InputStream in = new Base64.InputStream( 
                  new FileInputStream( "in.txt" ) );
// Go on about your inputting...
// ...

There are defaults (OutputStream encodes, InputStream decodes), but you can easily override that:

OutputStream out = new Base64.OutputStream( 
                    new FileOutputStream( "out.txt" ), Base64.DECODE );
// Go on about your outputting...
// ...