base64 encoding that doesn't use "+/=" (plus or equals) characters?

Question

I need to encode a string of about 1000 characters that can be any byte value (00-FF). I don't want to use Hex because it's not dense enough. the problem with base64 as I understand it is that it includes + / and = which are characters I can not tolerate in my application.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Base58Check is an option. It is starting to become something of a de facto standard in cryptocurrency addresses.

Basic improvements over Base64:

• Only alphanumeric characters [0-9a-zA-Z]
• No look-alike characters: 0OIl / 0OIl
• No punctuation to trigger word wrap or line break in documents and emails
• Can also select entire value with a single double click due to no punctuation.

The Bitcoin Address Utility is an implementation example; geared for Bitcoins.

_{Note: A novel de facto standard may not be adequate for your needs. It is unclear if the Base58Check encoding method will formalise across current protocols.}