What is the effect of encoding an image in base64?

When to consider base64

Base64 is less a magic wand and more like a tool for your toolbox. It works a charm for:

• Minor UI components (thinking icons or tiny logos)
• Chasing away extra server requests in old faithful HTTP/1.1
• Images that party with your CSS for dynamic content

But show it the door if we're talking:

• Bulky images
• Sites gunning for the speed record

Understanding performance trade-offs

There's a cost to everything. With Base64, you're trading size for speed:

• The ~37% size increase goes up against dodging extra HTTP requests.
• Gzip compression can, kind of, rebalance the size inflation. Except, it prefers text over images.
• Pro performance tip: Benchmark against your site's loading times and server prowess.

Compression, HTTP2 and all that jazz

Welcome to HTTP/2, the answer to improved performance. In this brave new world:

• Multiplexing takes away from the joy of inlining w/ Base64.
• Advancement in server push nixes the need for embedding altogether.

Looking to the future (no crystal ball needed)

Keep tabs on developing image optimization tech and services:

• Image CDNs
• Next-gen formats (WebP is leading the charge)
• The magic of lazy loading

They're already popping up, offering bigger fish to fry compared to Base64, most notably considering today's browser capabilities and HTTP/2 perks.

Visualising the Base64 effect

Entering the world of Base64:

<!-- Image goes in, 🖼️, words come out 📃. -->
🖼️ -> 📃 (Encoded as TEXT inside the 📃)

Website's waistline post-encoding:

<!-- Remember those New Year's resolutions about size? -->
📃➕📝 (Image as TEXT inflates size)

The pros and the cons:

<!-- Every coin has two sides, right? -->
✅ More inline images, fewer HTTP requests.
❌ Bigger document size, potentially slower initial load.

Best practices: Making base64 work for you

Treat Base64 as a case-specific tool:

• Performance testing is your best friend here.
• Got lots of small images? Consider CSS sprites instead.
• Lazy loading can keep your load time trim, particularly for images below-the-fold.
• Put image optimization services into play and you might not need Base64 at all.

Automating with base64

Let automation tools take care of Base64:

• Webpack and its ilk can handle conversion tasks.
• SASS and LESS style your CSS with dynamic embedding.
• Online converters are your quick and dirty friends.

Accessibility and SEO considerations

• Accessibility is key, so always have that alt text ready for every image, Base64 or no.
• SEO-wise, remember that search engines might not index Base64 images as they would conventional ones.