Java 8+

Encode or decode byte arrays:

byte[] encoded = Base64.getEncoder().encode("Hello".getBytes());
println(new String(encoded));   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

byte[] decoded = Base64.getDecoder().decode(encoded);
println(new String(decoded))    // Outputs "Hello"

Or if you just want the strings:

String encoded = Base64.getEncoder().encodeToString("Hello".getBytes());
println(encoded);   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

String decoded = new String(Base64.getDecoder().decode(encoded.getBytes()));
println(decoded)    // Outputs "Hello"

For more info, see Base64.

Java < 8

Base64 is not bundled with Java versions less than 8. I recommend using Apache Commons Codec.

For direct byte arrays:

Base64 codec = new Base64();
byte[] encoded = codec.encode("Hello".getBytes());
println(new String(encoded));   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

byte[] decoded = codec.decode(encoded);
println(new String(decoded))    // Outputs "Hello"

Or if you just want the strings:

Base64 codec = new Base64();
String encoded = codec.encodeBase64String("Hello".getBytes());
println(encoded);   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

String decoded = new String(codec.decodeBase64(encoded));
println(decoded)    // Outputs "Hello"

Spring

If you’re working in a Spring project already, you may find their org.springframework.util.Base64Utils class more ergonomic:

For direct byte arrays:

byte[] encoded = Base64Utils.encode("Hello".getBytes());
println(new String(encoded))    // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

byte[] decoded = Base64Utils.decode(encoded);
println(new String(decoded))    // Outputs "Hello"

Or if you just want the strings:

String encoded = Base64Utils.encodeToString("Hello".getBytes());
println(encoded);   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

String decoded = Base64Utils.decodeFromString(encoded);
println(new String(decoded))    // Outputs "Hello"

Android (with Java < 8)

If you are using the Android SDK before Java 8 then your best option is to use the bundled android.util.Base64.

For direct byte arrays:

byte[] encoded = Base64.encode("Hello".getBytes());
println(new String(encoded))    // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

byte [] decoded = Base64.decode(encoded);
println(new String(decoded))    // Outputs "Hello"

Or if you just want the strings:

String encoded = Base64.encodeToString("Hello".getBytes());
println(encoded);   // Outputs "SGVsbG8="

String decoded = new String(Base64.decode(encoded));
println(decoded)    // Outputs "Hello"