Convert PDF to Base64: A Developer Guide

Base64 encoding is essential for developers who need to transmit binary data like PDFs through text-based protocols.

What is Base64 Encoding?

Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using 64 ASCII characters. It's commonly used for:

• Email attachments - MIME encoding for emails
• API requests - Sending files through JSON APIs
• Data URIs - Embedding files directly in HTML/CSS
• Database storage - Storing binary data in text fields

When to Use Base64 for PDFs

Use Base64 encoding when you need to:

• Embed PDFs in JSON payloads
• Send PDFs through REST APIs
• Store PDFs in text-based databases
• Include PDFs in email templates

Code Example

Here's how you might use a Base64-encoded PDF in JavaScript:

javascript
// Embed in an iframe
const pdfData = "data:application/pdf;base64,YOUR_BASE64_STRING";
document.getElementById('viewer').src = pdfData;

File Size Considerations

Base64 encoding increases file size by approximately 33%. A 1MB PDF becomes about 1.33MB when encoded. Keep this in mind for large files.

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