Posts tagged "encoding"

A QR code is a 2D barcode that can store a URL, contact card, or arbitrary text using a grid of black and white modules. Here is how the encoding works and why damaged QR codes still scan.

Every string in your program is ultimately bytes. Understanding how Unicode maps characters to code points and how UTF-8 encodes those to bytes prevents a whole class of subtle bugs.

A space in a URL becomes %20, a plus sign becomes %2B — but not always, and the rules differ depending on where in a URL you are. This post explains the why and the how of percent-encoding.

Base64 shows up everywhere from JWTs to CSS data URIs to HTTP Basic Auth — but it is often misunderstood. Here is a clear explanation of what it actually does and when it makes sense to reach for it.

Treating Base64 as encryption or MD5 as a secure hash are among the most common security mistakes developers make. This post draws a clear line between encoding, encryption, and hashing.