base58check
Base58check encoding and decoding of binary data
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need Base58Check encoding for Bitcoin or cryptocurrency work. The package is lightweight, dependency-free, and permissively licensed. However, note that no releases have been published since 2018, so verify that it meets your Python version requirements and handles edge cases your use case requires before relying on it in production.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Input to b58encode must be bytes; use .encode('ascii') on text strings before encoding.
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies.
- The package is marked active with a recent commit in 2026, though the last release was in 2018 and no updates have been published since.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — Licensed under MIT (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2018-04-07 (3051 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-28 · 5 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 182,951 downloads/mo, #10,078 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install base58check
import base58check
# Encode bytes to Base58Check
encoded = base58check.b58encode(b'1BoatSLRHtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpyT')
# Decode Base58Check back to bytes
decoded = base58check.b58decode(encoded)- Whether the package handles checksum validation correctly for Bitcoin addresses or other use cases.
- Current Python version support beyond the classifiers (3.3–3.6 listed, but modern support unclear).
- Whether this implementation is compatible with other Base58Check libraries or reference implementations.
What it is and what it does
Base58Check is a Python implementation of the Base58Check encoding scheme, a modified Base58 binary-to-text encoding commonly used in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to represent byte arrays as human-readable strings. It provides two core functions: b58encode to convert bytes into Base58Check format, and b58decode to reverse the process. The package has no external runtime dependencies, making it lightweight and easy to integrate.
The library is designed for encoding cryptographic identifiers like Bitcoin addresses. It enforces bytes input for consistency with Python's encoding conventions, requiring text to be explicitly converted to bytes before encoding. The package is actively maintained in its repository, though no new releases have been published since version 1.0.2 in 2018.
Use it for
- Encoding Bitcoin addresses or other cryptocurrency identifiers into human-readable Base58Check format for display or storage.
- Decoding Base58Check-formatted strings back to their original byte representation for cryptographic validation or processing.
- Building cryptocurrency wallet software or blockchain explorers that need to handle address encoding/decoding.
- Implementing altcoin support in applications that use Base58Check for their own address schemes.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need Base58Check encoding for Bitcoin or cryptocurrency work.
The package is lightweight, dependency-free, and permissively licensed. However, note that no releases have been published since 2018, so verify that it meets your Python version requirements and handles edge cases your use case requires before relying on it in production.
Install
base58check on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. The package is marked active with a recent commit in 2026, though the last release was in 2018 and no updates have been published since.
Input to b58encode must be bytes; use .encode('ascii') on text strings before encoding.
License in practice
Licensed under MIT (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install base58check
import base58check
# Encode bytes to Base58Check
encoded = base58check.b58encode(b'1BoatSLRHtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpyT')
# Decode Base58Check back to bytes
decoded = base58check.b58decode(encoded)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles checksum validation correctly for Bitcoin addresses or other use cases.
- Current Python version support beyond the classifiers (3.3–3.6 listed, but modern support unclear).
- Whether this implementation is compatible with other Base58Check libraries or reference implementations.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 3,051 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 182,951 / month, #10,078 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Topic :: Internet :: WWW/HTTPTopic :: Security :: CryptographyTopic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Text ProcessingTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: base58check-1.0.2-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also base58 · based58 · bech32m · bech32 · base32-crockford · py-multibase · cobs · mbstrdecoder · python-baseconv · py-multihash