Using Base64 Encoding for PNG Images in CSS Data URIs

In order to embed PNG images into CSS stylesheets using data URIs, the PNG data must first be encoded into Base64 format. This technique allows external image files to be included directly within the stylesheet.

Unix Command-Line Solution:

base64 -i /path/to/image.png

This command will output the Base64-encoded PNG data.

Python Solution:

import base64

with open("/path/to/image.png", "rb") as f:
    binary_data = f.read()

base64_data = base64.b64encode(binary_data).decode("utf-8")
ext = "png"

data_uri = f"data:image/{ext};base64,{base64_data}"

print(data_uri)

This Python script reads the PNG file in binary mode, converts it to Base64, and then constructs the data URI, including the appropriate MIME type and extension.

Additional Notes:

• Ensure the image's extension is included in the data URI after the MIME type, e.g., "data:image/png;base64".
• Use the "decode('utf-8')" method in Python to handle any potential Unicode-related issues.