How Does Base64 Encoding Impact Image Size and Website Performance?

The Impact of Base64 Encoding on Image Size

Converting an image (PNG or JPG) to Base64 encodes its binary data into a text format. This encoding can affect the image size significantly.

Size Increase

Base64 encoding typically increases the image size by approximately 37%. This increase is due to the additional characters required to represent the binary data. For example, a 100-byte image would become approximately 137 bytes when encoded in Base64.

Recommendation for Website Use

Using Base64-encoded images on websites is generally not recommended for the following reasons:

• Increased size: The larger size can increase page load times and affect website performance.
• Security risks: Base64 encoding does not provide any additional security benefits, and can expose the image data to eavesdropping.
• Alternatives: There are more efficient and secure ways to embed images in web pages, such as using image compression techniques or storing images in a database.

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