Base58 encoding is similar to Base32 or Base64 encoding, but it uses a specific set of 58 characters to represent binary data in a text format. Base58 is primarily used in contexts where a compact and human-readable encoding is needed without confusing characters such as 0 (zero), O (uppercase o), I (uppercase i), and l (lowercase L), which can be easily mistaken for one another.
Base58 is commonly used in:
Cryptocurrency addresses (e.g., Bitcoin addresses)
IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) file system hashes
URLs and identifiers
Base58 Alphabet:
The Base58 alphabet is made up of the following characters:
123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz
Note that characters like 0, O, I, and l are excluded to avoid confusion.
How Base58 Encoding Works:
Input Data: The data (in binary form) that you want to encode.
Divide Data into Groups: Base58 works by dividing the binary data into groups of 6 bits. This allows you to represent 58 distinct values per group.
Convert Each Group to a Character: Each 6-bit group is mapped to a character from the Base58 alphabet.
Add Padding if Necessary: If the input data isn't a perfect multiple of 6 bits, Base58 encoding may add padding, though it's typically more compact than other encoding schemes like Base64.
Base58 Encoding Example:
Let's walk through a simplified example of encoding a string in Base58. Take the string "hello":
Convert the string "hello" into its binary form.
Divide the binary data into 6-bit groups.
Map each group to its corresponding character in the Base58 alphabet.