Today I spent some time pairing with a colleague, and needed to build a signature for an API call they needed to make, so I took to the googles and learned a bit about how Ruby deals with Base64.

If you’ve never heard of Base64, it’s a numeral system, or BASE-ically a standard for counting. We’re most familiar with Base10 i.e. counting to 10 then starting over 0123456789, or Base2 i.e. the Binary system that computers use 01.

Base64 uses uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, AND a few symbols to get the job done! base64 table from wikipedia

In ruby, you can use the Module Base64 to encode or decode things! Here’s an example:


# First, the Base64 Module isn't in Core ruby, so you have to require it
 
require "base64"
=> true

# you can use the method #encode64 and give an argument, and see it translated to Base64!
enc = Base64.encode64("kara is awesome")
=> "a2FyYSBpcyBhd2Vzb21l\n"

# you can even be super sleuth and double encode it! (
double_enc = Base64.encode64(enc)
=> "YTJGeVlTQnBjeUJoZDJWemIyMWwK\n"

# Then to revert back to your original messages, you use the method #decode64
revert = Base64.decode64(double_enc)
=> "a2FyYSBpcyBhd2Vzb21l\n"

plain = Base64.decode64(revert)
=> "kara is awesome"

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