fetch-base64

library2.1.2jsnpmunverified

A Node.js package (v2.1.2, last updated 2019) for fetching local or remote files and returning them as base64-encoded strings with optional MIME type prefixes. Useful for inlining assets like images or fonts into HTML/CSS. Provides three functions: `local`, `remote`, and `auto` for path detection. No dependencies, simple API, but no longer actively maintained. Alternative to data URIs with manual encoding.

storage

npm install fetch-base64

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · FETCH-BASE64

fetch-base64

storagejavascriptv2.1.2

harness data pending

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

No compatibility data collected yet for this library.

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

default

✓ const fetch = require('fetch-base64');

✗ import fetch from 'fetch-base64';

Package does not export ESM; require() is the only supported import style.

local

✓ const { local } = require('fetch-base64');

Destructure the required object to access individual functions.

remote

✓ const { remote } = require('fetch-base64');

Similarly, destructure for remote function.

auto

✓ const { auto } = require('fetch-base64');

Destructure for auto function.

Shows how to require the package and use local, remote, and auto functions to fetch files and get base64 encoded data with MIME type.

const fetch = require('fetch-base64'); // Fetch a local image fetch.local('/path/to/image.jpg') .then(data => { console.log('Raw base64:', data[0]); console.log('With MIME:', data[1]); }) .catch(err => console.error(err)); // Fetch a remote image fetch.remote('http://example.com/image.png') .then(data => { console.log('With MIME:', data[1]); }) .catch(err => console.error(err)); // Auto-detect local vs remote fetch.auto('./local/file.gif', 'http://example.com/file.gif') .then(data => console.log(data[1])) .catch(err => console.error(err));

Debug

Known issues

gotchaThe return value is an array with two strings: data[0] (raw base64) and data[1] (with MIME prefix). Do not confuse them; data[1] is typically used for embedding.

fix

Always use data[1] if you need a data URI.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotcharemote() spoofs the User-Agent to Chrome's but may still fail if the server blocks requests or requires authentication.

fix

Pass custom headers via the options object: fetch.remote({ url, headers: { Authorization: '...' } })

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaauto() determines remote/local based on the first argument only. If you pass multiple arguments, it treats all as local if the first is a file path.

fix

Use explicit local() or remote() calls instead of auto() when mixing types.

affects: >=1.0.0

deprecatedPackage not updated since 2019; may have compatibility issues with newer Node versions (though it uses basic http/https).

fix

Consider alternatives like 'request' (deprecated) or using native fetch with Buffer encoding.

affects: >=2.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

fetch.remote is not a function

Incorrect import: using ES6 import syntax with a package that only supports CommonJS.

fix

Use require('fetch-base64') instead of import.

Cannot read property '0' of undefined

Promise rejected but .catch not handling error, or data is undefined.

fix

Add a .catch handler to log the error: promise.catch(err => console.error(err)).

TypeError: path must be a string

Passing non-string arguments to local() or auto().

fix

Ensure all path arguments are strings.

Upgrade

Version history

2.1.2latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

31 hits · last 30 days

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Resources

githubhttps://github.com/gamell/fetch-base64 ↗

packagefetch-base64 ↗

homepagehttps://github.com/gamell/fetch-base64#readme ↗