Description

kangtastic

opened on Mar 20, 2026

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Proposal:

The base64 module contains implementations of encoders/decoders for several character encodings.

Among these are the base32 and base32hex encodings mentioned in RFC 4648.

These are currently implemented in pure Python. Implementing them in C will greatly improve performance (~100x) and memory usage.

I have written a draft PR that accomplishes this, and will be submitting it shortly.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

No response given

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

Suggested by @serhiy-storchaka in #102753.

Linked PRs

• gh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii #146193

Activity

1. kangtastic

   added

   type-featureA feature request or enhancementA feature request or enhancement

   on Mar 20, 2026
2. kangtastic

   added 2 commits that reference this issue on Mar 20, 2026

   pythongh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii

   c41bda0

   pythongh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii

   db96a3f
3. serhiy-storchaka commented on Mar 20, 2026

   

   serhiy-storchaka

   on Mar 20, 2026

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   The Base 32 codec is the only one which is implemented in pure Python. This not only makes it slower and increases memory consumption (the same issue as was with the Base 85 codec, see #101178), but it makes difficult to add new features, code for which can be shared between other codecs implemented in C. So, rewriting it in C will help with maintenance.
4. aisk

   added

   performancePerformance or resource usagePerformance or resource usage

   stdlibStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directoryStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directory

   on Mar 20, 2026
5. StanFromIreland

   added

   extension-modulesC modules in the Modules dirC modules in the Modules dir

   and removed

   stdlibStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directoryStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directory

   on Mar 20, 2026
6. kangtastic

   added a commit that references this issue on Mar 20, 2026

   pythongh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii

   0a8e4b1
7. serhiy-storchaka

   added a commit that references this issue on Mar 22, 2026

   gh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii (GH-146193)

   b4e5bc2
8. serhiy-storchaka

   closed this as completedin #146193on Mar 22, 2026
9. CuriousLearner

   added a commit that references this issue on Mar 23, 2026

   Merge branch 'main' of github.com:python/cpython into fix-pythongh-13…

   3e05fa3
10. ljfp

    added a commit that references this issue on Apr 25, 2026

    pythongh-146192: Add base32 support to binascii (pythonGH-146193)

    c084ba3

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