🔤 Base64-Text-Encoder-Decoder 🔐

A Python-based Base64 Text Encoder & Decoder Command Line Tool that lets you encode plain text into Base64 and decode Base64 back into readable text, right from your terminal. This CLI tool is built for learning encoding concepts, CTF practice, and quick text conversions, combining a simple no-dependency mode with a rich, colorful interactive CLI.

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🧱 Project Structure

base64-text-encoder-decoder-python/
│
├── assets/             # Screenshots
├── main.py             # Basic CLI application
├── parser.py           # Argument-based CLI Version
├── interactive.py      # Rich CLI Version
├── requirements.txt    # Project Dependencies
├── LICENSE             # Project license
└── README.md           # Project documentation

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✨ Features

🔒 Encoding

• Encodes any UTF-8 text into Base64
• Simple, single-function conversion (base64.b64encode)
• Instant terminal output of the encoded string

🔓 Decoding

• Decodes Base64 text back into the original message
• Uses strict validation in the Rich CLI to catch malformed input
• Friendly error message on invalid Base64

🎨 Rich CLI Interface

• Colored terminal output with a custom banner
• Structured About table showing tool properties
• Styled panels for encode/decode results
• Better user experience and readability

⚡ Triple Mode Support

• 🧼 Basic CLI → Lightweight, menu-driven, no dependencies (main.py)
• ⌨️ Argparse CLI → Flag-based, script-friendly (parser.py)
• 🎨 Rich CLI → Enhanced UI with colors, panels and menus (interactive.py)

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🛠 Technologies Used

Technology	Purpose
Python 3	Core language
base64	Encoding & decoding logic
argparse	Flag-based CLI argument parsing
Rich	Interactive CLI interface

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▶️ How to Run

1️⃣ Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/ShakalBhau0001/base64-text-encoder-decoder-python.git

2️⃣ Enter the project directory

cd base64-text-encoder-decoder-python

3️⃣ Install Dependencies

pip install rich

OR

pip install -r requirements.txt

ℹ️ The Basic CLI (main.py) and Argparse CLI (parser.py) need no external dependencies — Rich is only required for interactive.py.

4️⃣ Running the Project

Basic CLI Version

python main.py

Argparse CLI Version

python parser.py -e <"Text_Message">
python parser.py -d <"Encoded_Text_Message">
python parser.py --enc <"Text_Message">
python parser.py --dec <"Encoded_Text_Message">
python parser.py --encode <"Text_Message">
python parser.py --decode <"Encoded_Text_Message">

Rich Interactive Version

python interactive.py

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▶️ Usage

Basic CLI (main.py)

==========================================
        BASE64 - ENCODER | DECODER
==========================================

[1] Encode
[2] Decode
[3] Exit

Enter your choice: 1
Enter text: Hello World

Encoded Base64:
SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=

Enter your choice: 2
Enter Base64 text: SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=

Decoded text:

Hello World

Argparse CLI (parser.py)

1. Encode a text

python parser.py -e flower

python parser.py --enc "Shakal Bhau"

python parser.py --encode "Star The Repo"

2. Decode a text

python parser.py -d "Zmxvd2Vy"

python parser.py --dec "U2hha2FsIEJoYXU="

python parser.py --decode "U3RhciBUaGUgUmVwbw=="

Rich Interactive CLI (interactive.py)

[1] 🔒 Encode Text
[2] 🔓 Decode Text
[3] ℹ About
[0] 🚪 Exit

Select Option: 1
Enter text: CTF Practice

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📁 Supported Input

• Text Type: UTF-8 encoded strings
• Encoding: Standard Base64 (base64.b64encode / base64.b64decode)
• Decode Validation: Strict, in Rich CLI (validate=True)

⚠️ Invalid or malformed Base64 input will raise a clear error instead of a crash.

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⚙️ How It Works

1️⃣ Encoding

• User text → encoded as UTF-8 bytes
• Bytes → converted to Base64 using base64.b64encode
• Result decoded back to a printable string

2️⃣ Decoding

• Base64 string → validated and decoded using base64.b64decode
• Decoded bytes → converted back to a UTF-8 string
• Invalid Base64 raises a handled error instead of crashing the tool

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⚠️ Common Errors

• Invalid Base64 input → Decode fails with a friendly error message
• Non-UTF-8 decoded bytes → Text can't be displayed as a string
• Empty input → Encoding/decoding an empty string returns an empty result

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🌟 Future Enhancements

• File-based encode/decode (--in-file / --out-file)
• Support for URL-safe Base64 (urlsafe_b64encode / urlsafe_b64decode)
• Batch encode/decode for multiple lines at once
• Copy result directly to clipboard
• Argument-based (non-interactive) CLI mode for automation

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📦 Related Projects

This repository focuses on a specific encoding technique implemented as a command-line (CLI) learning project.

The goal of this project is to:

• Understand how Base64 encoding works at a practical level
• Practice decoding challenges commonly seen in CTFs
• Learn how simple CLI-based tools are structured

For more advanced, security-focused CLI tools, check out:

🔗 CLI Projects

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⚠️ Disclaimer

This project is intended for educational and learning purposes only.

Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption — it does not provide any confidentiality or security, and should never be used to protect sensitive data.

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📸 Preview

1. Encode

2. Decode

3. About

4. Exit

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🪪 Author

Creator: Shakal Bhau

GitHub: ShakalBhau0001

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⭐ Support

If you like this project, consider giving it a ⭐ on GitHub!

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