---
id: mikeshardmind-base2048
version: "1.0.4"
license: MPL-2.0
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: active
---

# mikeshardmind-base2048 — Pure python Base-2048 binary-text encoding

License: copyleft · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 90.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

mikeshardmind-base2048 is a pure-Python implementation of base2048, a binary-text encoding scheme that converts bytes into strings using a 2048-character Unicode alphabet. Unlike base64 (6 bits/character) or base85 (6.4 bits/character), base2048 achieves 11 bits per character without requiring byte padding, making it more compact for text-based data transfer. The character set is chosen to display correctly on modern platforms (Twitter, Discord, text editors) and is markdown-safe, though the characters are impractical to type manually.

The library provides two functions: encode() converts bytes to an encoded string, and decode() reverses the process. It includes a compressed character map loaded at import time and provides type hints compatible with pyright and mypy. The package is self-contained with no runtime dependencies, making it suitable for vendoring. Performance is reported as comparable to the original Rust-based implementation, though benchmarking on your specific data and Python version is recommended.

Use it for:

- Store state in Discord bot custom_id fields to enable high-concurrency state management without shared synchronization
- Transmit error reports in chat platforms in compact form while omitting sensitive log data
- Share public keys or cryptographic material in text-safe format across messaging apps
- Encode customized application builds or configurations for sharing via chat without external links

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Encodes binary data into text using base2048, a binary-text encoding that achieves 11 bits per character and produces display-safe, markdown-compatible output without padding overhead.

Yes, if you need compact, display-safe binary-to-text encoding. The library is production-stable, dependency-free, and actively maintained. The MPL-2.0 copyleft license is straightforward for unmodified vendoring. Install it when base64's inefficiency or character restrictions are a real constraint; skip it if you don't need the 11 bits/character advantage or markdown safety.

## Install

pip install mikeshardmind-base2048
uv add mikeshardmind-base2048
poetry add mikeshardmind-base2048

## Installing mikeshardmind-base2048

Before you install: Low install friction—pure Python with no runtime dependencies and a wheel distribution. Actively maintained with recent commits; marked Production/Stable and supports Python 3.9 through 3.14.

License in practice: Licensed under MPL-2.0, a per-file copyleft license. If you do not modify the vendored files, you have no further obligation; the license is included in the header. Modification or redistribution of modified files requires license compliance.

Quickstart:

pip install mikeshardmind-base2048

import base2048
encoded = base2048.encode(b"data")
decoded = base2048.decode(encoded)

Verify before relying:

- Actual performance comparison with rust-base2048 and other encodings on representative data and Python versions
- Type-checker compatibility beyond pyright and mypy (pyre, pytype)
- Real-world adoption and stability feedback from production use cases

## Package facts

- License: MPL-2.0 (copyleft)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 90.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

binary to text encoding, base2048 encoder decoder, compact binary text format, data serialization text safe, base64 alternative efficient, unicode safe encoding, text representation of bytes, encoding, serialization, text-safe

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