EncodeLab

Encoding and cipher guides

In-depth explanations of the formats behind EncodeLab tools, with worked examples and step-by-step conversion instructions.

How to Read Binary: A Complete Guide

Binary is not a code to be cracked; it is a number system to be read. This guide takes you from your first byte to decoding whole sentences by hand — with a mental toolkit small enough to fit in your head and practice strings to prove it works.

Pair with the Binary Translator tool

Text to Binary: UTF-8 Bytes Explained

When you convert text to binary, the computer is not translating words into a secret alphabet. It is encoding characters as bytes, then writing each byte with only 0s and 1s. This guide follows that path from a single letter to Unicode emoji, so you can understand exactly why the output looks the way it does.

Pair with the Text to Binary Converter tool

Breaking the Caesar Cipher: From Rome to ROT13

The Caesar cipher is the oldest surviving encryption scheme in the West, and breaking it is a perfect little detective story. This guide tells the story of the cipher, then breaks it for real — complete with the letter counts that give the key away.

Pair with the Caesar Cipher tool

Base64, Decoded: The String That Carries Everything

Somewhere in your inbox right now, a Base64 string is quietly carrying an image. It sits at the end of data URLs, inside email attachments, and in the middle of JSON Web Tokens — a long string of letters, digits, plus signs, and equals signs that looks like gibberish. It is none of those things. Base64 is one of the most predictable encodings on the internet, and this guide decodes it, byte by byte, for real.

Pair with the Base64 Encoder & Decoder tool

All EncodeLab tools

Binary Translator Translate text and binary instantly. Everything stays in your browser. Binary Converter Convert binary and decimal whole numbers with arbitrary precision. Text to Binary Converter Convert words, symbols, and emoji into UTF-8 binary bytes. Binary to Text Converter Decode valid 8-bit binary bytes into readable UTF-8 text. Morse Code Translator Translate text to Morse code and decode Morse back to text. NATO Phonetic Alphabet Translator Translate text and NATO phonetic words in either direction. Hex Converter Translate text and hexadecimal UTF-8 bytes in either direction. Text to Hex Converter Convert words, symbols, and emoji into UTF-8 hexadecimal bytes. Hex to Text Decode hexadecimal UTF-8 bytes into readable text. Hex to Decimal Converter Convert hex and decimal whole numbers with arbitrary precision. Caesar Cipher Encode and decode Caesar-shifted text with an adjustable key. Caesar Cipher Decoder Decode Caesar-shifted text and compare all 25 possible keys. ROT13 Encode and decode ROT13 text in one step. Atbash Cipher Encode and decode the reverse-alphabet Atbash cipher. Vigenère Cipher Encode and decode Vigenère text with a keyword. ASCII Converter Convert text and decimal character code points in either direction. Base64 Encoder & Decoder Encode text as Base64 and decode Base64 back to UTF-8.

Reference charts

Look up character codes, 8-bit number values, and Caesar shift mappings.

ASCII Table

Use this ASCII table to look up the 128 standard control characters, symbols, digits, and English letters. For text conversion beyond ASCII, use Unicode-aware tools.

Binary Number Chart

This binary number chart maps every possible 8-bit value to decimal and hexadecimal. It is useful for reading byte values, checking binary homework, and understanding number conversion.

Caesar Cipher Shift Table

A Caesar cipher rotates every letter by a fixed number of alphabet positions. This table shows the complete mapping for every non-zero shift, making it easy to verify an encoded letter or recognize a likely key.