How to Encode and Decode Base64 Strings in Android?

Is there a Base64 encoder and decoder for a string in Android?

String encodedString = Base64.encodeToString(originalString.getBytes(), Base64.DEFAULT);
String decodedString = new String(Base64.decode(encodedString, Base64.DEFAULT));

In Android, the Base64 class provides built-in methods for encoding and decoding strings. Base64 is a commonly used encoding method that converts binary data into a text string format, making it suitable for transmission in textual environments such as email or JSON.

// Encoding a String to Base64
String originalString = "Hello, World!";
String encodedString = Base64.encodeToString(originalString.getBytes(), Base64.DEFAULT);

// Decoding a Base64 String back to original
String decodedString = new String(Base64.decode(encodedString, Base64.DEFAULT));

Causes

• Need to encode binary data as text for HTTP transmission.
• Storing binary data in a text format, like JSON.
• Sharing data that needs to be sent as part of a URL.

Solutions

• Use `Base64.encodeToString(byte[] input, int flags)` for encoding a byte array to a Base64 string.
• Use `Base64.decode(String input, int flags)` to decode a Base64 string back to bytes.
• For easy conversion between string and byte array, utilize `getBytes()` and `new String(byte[])` methods.

Mistake: Incorrectly assuming that Base64 is a security measure.

Solution: Remember that Base64 is just an encoding method, not encryption.

Mistake: Not handling character encoding issues while decoding.

Solution: Always ensure the correct character encoding is utilized with `getBytes(Charset charset)`.

Mistake: Not checking for padding errors during decoding.

Solution: Use Base64 flags that manage padding issues when decoding.