---
id: unpaddedbase64
version: "2.1.0"
license: Apache-2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# unpaddedbase64 — Encode and decode Base64 without "=" padding

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 1.7M/mo

## What it is and what it does

This package provides encode and decode functions for Base64 data formatted without the "=" padding characters that RFC 4648 specifies. Many protocols—particularly in distributed systems and cryptographic applications—omit padding for efficiency or protocol design reasons, and this library handles that variant directly rather than requiring manual padding manipulation.

The package is a thin, focused utility with no external dependencies. It supports Python 3.6 through 3.9 and is licensed under Apache-2.0. Development stopped in 2021, so it is stable but receives no active maintenance or updates.

Use it for:

- Decode Base64 strings from protocols like Matrix that omit padding characters
- Encode binary data to unpadded Base64 for APIs that reject or strip trailing equals signs
- Handle cryptographic token formats that use unpadded Base64 encoding
- Parse JWT or similar token schemes that use Base64url without padding

## Worth the install?

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

Encodes and decodes Base64 data without RFC 4648 padding characters, supporting protocols that omit the trailing "=" bytes.

Yes, if you need unpadded Base64 handling and accept the abandoned maintenance status. The package is simple, dependency-free, and has no known vulnerabilities. However, for new projects, consider whether the standard library base64 module with manual padding removal would suffice, since this package will not receive updates.

## Install

pip install unpaddedbase64
uv add unpaddedbase64
poetry add unpaddedbase64

## Installing unpaddedbase64

Before you install: Low friction install with no runtime dependencies. Package is abandoned as of 2021-10-25 with no recent maintenance, though it remains stable and archived repository shows 11 stars.

License in practice: Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it safe for most projects.

Quickstart:

pip install unpaddedbase64

import unpaddedbase64
encoded = unpaddedbase64.encode_base64(b'\x00')
decoded = unpaddedbase64.decode_base64('AA')

Requires Python >=3.6,<4.0

Verify before relying:

- Whether the abandoned status and lack of updates since 2021 pose any compatibility risk with modern Python versions beyond 3.9
- Performance characteristics compared to standard library base64 module with manual padding removal

## Package facts

- License: Apache-2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 1.7M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

base64 without padding, unpadded base64 encode decode, base64 no equals signs, rfc 4648 base64 variant, strip base64 padding, base64 padding removal, base64-encoding, cryptography-utility

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/unpaddedbase64) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/unpaddedbase64/)